Face the World Fighting
by Sweets5236
Summary: Lily, Alice, Marlene, and the Marauders are fresh out of Hogwarts, prepared to fight for the Light in the Order of the Phoenix. Despite the hardships they have encountered, they're ready to face the world fighting. Together. The much anticipated sequel to Life of Lily.
1. A Stuck Shoe

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**Face the World Fighting**

**The much-anticipated sequel to "Life of Lily"**

**##########**

It had all started just fine, almost perfectly. The preparations had been made, invitations sent, dress bought, and they had finally convinced Sirius to wear a tie no matter how many times he claimed it would choke him.

The marriage of Lily Evans and James Potter was to be that very day and all who knew them were amazingly excited. If any two people were perfect for each other, it was they and all knew it. Even when they had been arguing little third years the professors had their strong suspicions that it would all unravel to something more in the end.

The nerves of all involved were a bit frazzled to say the least. The time they could celebrate and actually be happy was to be _after_ the wedding, at least for those helping plan. Thus being said, no one (besides the bride and groom) was in a particularly sunny mood despite the wondrous day.

At least the sun was granting them its freckling rays and a blue sky of the purest shade. The trees were at their peak, wonderfully green and perfect to climb in. The Marauders had to stop them selves from attempting to and the girls had similar thoughts.

"Lily? Lily? Oh for Godric's sake where are you!" Alice Prewitt yelled through the church, looking for the missing bride.

The biggest problem that could occur was to have the wedding start without its star. Sure James, the groom, was important and all that, but everyone knew that people only went to weddings to see the bride…at least that was Alice's philosophy. Sirius didn't quite agree with her when it was spoken

"I'm here!" A voice cried from outside.

Alice took one last glance around the church before dashing off towards Lily's voice. She couldn't help but fantasize over her own wedding. Sure, Frank hadn't proposed yet, but she had a strong suspicion that it would be any day now.

Frank, being so sweet and caring, probably didn't want to draw the attention away from James and Lily. That or he wasn't manly enough to hike up his pants and get it over with. Alice decided she'd ask James about it once the wedding was over.

"Lily! We have thirty minutes before guests start showing up! You need to get ready, NOW!" Alice shrieked, never having been good with stress.

"Oh don't get your knickers in a twist, I'm just trying to free my heel from this bush's clutches," Lily muttered good-naturedly while yanking at fore mentioned heel.

It was true though, having been off of schedule, she had ran towards the church and promptly tangled her heel into some random bush that had been in her path. It was being quite stubborn and refused to release the footwear.

Alice nervously laughed at her friend's predicament, finally calming down now that she was found, but still worried they wouldn't get her out in time. Marlene McKinnon, the maid of honor, was busy trying to sever the vicious plant with her wand, but to no avail. She looked up at Alice and grinned, her brown eyes sparkling.

"We might have to stop the wedding if the bride's shoe was stolen by shrubbery!" she exclaimed sarcastically.

The three girls had been friends for almost all of their Hogwarts years. They were inseparable. By the end of their seventh year they had four new friends strapped to their sides, the Marauders. One of which Lily was to be marrying that very day.

"Now what did that poor bush ever do to you, Sunshine?" the mocking voice of Sirius Black said as he rounded the corner and saw their problem.

"He was in my way and I just couldn't let that happen so I tried to stomp through him, but alas, he was too strong!" Lily cried dramatically.

"It's a he is it? What would James say about his future wife passing genders out to inanimate objects?"

"It'll be out little secret then," Lily said with a wide grin.

Sirius was one of the only ones who could bring out Lily's humorous side. It was times like these that Alice and Marlene were glad that he was there to distract her; otherwise she could have unleashed her awful temper on the both of them.

Lily had been known throughout their school years as being amazingly studious. She was also known for owning a dragon-like temper. Those who were lucky learned to avoid it, but others, like James, took it on full force. Some suspected he got her riled up on purpose just so that he could see her eyes go greener. They were probably right too for James loved Lily's green eyes.

"Well, I'll go find Remus then, I'm sure he could best this beast." Sirius declared eyeing it as if it would claim his shoe next, "Want to come?" he asked Alice and Marlene, offering an arm for the both of them.

They responded affirmatively, leaving Lily to try and slip out of the shoe. She was somewhat satisfied knowing that Remus was coming, if anyone could save her shoe, it was he. On any other day, Lily would've had her wand on her and she could have done it herself. The problem with that was that the wand had been tucked into Lily's shoe, the same that was trapped.

For some reason this didn't worry her though. Perhaps it was because she was too focused on the bush. Or, it could be because she never thought anyone would be as cruel to make her use it on her wedding day. She figured it was like a birthday of sorts where you didn't have to do anything but sit and look pretty.

After several more attempts, she gave up and collapsed to the grass in defeat, hoping not to stain her beautiful wedding dress. That would be a right shame. It was gorgeous really and now that she took the time to _really_ stare at it and appreciate it, something clicked in her mind. The lace covering the satin was the same pattern as her dress from the New Year's Ball at the Potter's. The difference was that it was white instead of cream.

Lily sighed, no wonder she had been attracted to the dress as soon as she saw it. It was almost as if it symbolized their whole seventh year. It was definitely the most important year of their schooling. They had all grown so close that there would always be someone there to comfort you.

Her mind wandered to what James was doing. Surely he was dressed in a handsome tuxedo (they were going for a muggle theme) and as frazzled as she was. It wasn't likely that _his_ shoe was caught in a bush, but he was most definitely facing some kind of laughable problem. It was less then half an hour until they were married, sealed for life. Just the thought made her want to sigh like a lovesick schoolgirl.

Never in a million years could she have imagined this happening. She had always loathed James. He was cocky and arrogant, hexing others for no particular reason. Lily suspected that deep down though; she had always had a crush on him. There was a fine line between love and hate. She had only just realized it during her seventh year though.

Now she was fresh out of Hogwarts, ready to face the world and become who she wanted to be. Lily wanted to fight, to defend the Light and defeat the Dark. She would do it with all her friends too. Alice and Marlene would always be there, Sirius was her brother in so many ways, Remus was like a twin separated from her at birth, and of course James would be her life preserver as he always had been. She loved all of them because they were her family. They were the only ones she had left.

The only way they could best the world was by doing it together. If not all of them could make it out, they would most definitely give their all until the end and watch over the others who were still fighting on earth.

Yes, Lily Evans believed in heaven. She had never really been religious though. Her parents had taken her to several sermons throughout her life, but all the words had been forgotten, not cared about. The one thing that stuck though was _heaven_. Surely it was up there somewhere. She figured it was perfect and almost like a reward for trying as hard as they did on earth.

She sighed, breathing in the summertime air, relishing the light breeze that carried the pretty scent of wildflowers. Lily closed her eyes momentarily only to hear footsteps coming towards her. _Finally_ she thought. Remus was there to rescue her at last. There was something wrong about those steps though, they weren't right. They were too heavy and hurried. Her eyes fluttered open. It wasn't Remus. She did the first thing that came to mind when she saw who was standing in front of her, wand poised.

"JAMES!"

Then everything went black.

##########

Sirius froze at the blood-curling call for help that rung through the air. Lily, it was Lily. He turned to Remus with fear and horror in his eyes and without a second thought they both shot past Marlene and Alice to where they had left her.

She wasn't there. She was gone. They didn't make it in time.

Her white high-heel was still snagged in that awful bush. It wasn't so white any more though. It appeared as if her foot had been yanked out, that whoever did this didn't care if it hurt her. Droplets of blood lined the inside of the shoe, causing Sirius to release the contents of his stomach in an outlying bush. He wasn't afraid of blood, but that wasn't any blood. It was Lily's, Lily who was gone, taken on her wedding day.

It was all his fault. He had left her and taken her friends with him. The fact ran through his head like a broken record.

"Sirius, calm down," Remus whispered, gripping his friend's shoulder. "Calm down. We'll find her. It's okay, we'll find her," he said, trying more to reassure himself then Padfoot.

Sirius was hunched over, his hands on his knees. He was shaking profusely and small tears streaked down his face. Lily, who had so much trouble in her life, was kidnapped. One of his best friends was gone and it was his fault.

Remus was as terrified as Sirius was. He wanted to scream and yell and curse the death eaters who had surely done this. Why her? Why did they want her? What made Lily Evans so special? Hadn't they already caused the girl enough harm? He sunk to the ground beside Sirius, placing his head in his hands, trying to reason and figure out what they could do. He was shaking just as much as the man beside him.

"James," Sirius murmured, "what are we supposed to tell James?"

"I don't know. It's going to be okay, just calm down Sirius. We'll find her," he repeated his previous statement, not looking up.

Just as he did Alice and Marlene jogged around the corner with James close on their tails. As much as they had wanted to get to Lily, they knew that they needed James more and that Remus and Sirius would take care of it.

At the sight in front of them, Alice promptly fainted into Marlene's arms, overwhelmed by what had obviously happened.

"She's gone James, they took her!" Sirius sobbed. James collapsed to the ground next to them, not taking his eyes off the stained white shoe.

##########

It was cliché, horribly so actually. It was cliché to have it happen on that particular day of that particular week of that particular year of Lily Evans' life. She had been hoping that in that day she would throw away the last name of "Evans" in exchange for one that would make her the happiest women on earth. How wrong she had been.

For on what was to be the happiest day of her life, everything crumbled. She was strong this time though. So much stronger then she had been at the beginning of her seventh year of schooling. She could handle it and she _would_ get out of it. Why Lord Voldemort just _had_ to take her hostage on her wedding day, she did not know.

##########

**Hello all! I hope you enjoy "Face the World Fighting". Updates will be every Saturday. I assure you, this sequel is going to be much more pleasant then the first, but I have to play into the prophecy first. This story will be mainly focused on the Order of the Phoenix and the Marauders' life outside of Hogwarts. Please Review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	2. Alone

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

The air was sticky and unpleasantly sweet. It seemed to wrap around Lily like an unwanted blanket almost to the point of making her gag. Lily's pale lids fluttered open and her green orbs were welcomed by darkness and shadowy outlines. When she was little she would have been scared of those outlines and thought them evil monsters out to get her.

She was too groggy for comfort and had no idea how long she had been out. Her thoughts flashed to James and how worried her surely was. It could have been days for all she knew. It was definitely a scary thought that made her jump to several misguided conclusions.

Lily's dress seemed to glow in the almost nonexistent lighting and it made her eyes prickle. She held in the tears though because she had to be strong. She had no other choice. Lily ran through what she had been taught if she was ever taken hostage. It seemed ironic that a week after the seminar held to those wanting to be become Aurors, she was already using what it had briefly informed her.

First on her list was to best determine where she was. Based on the damp surroundings and almost black lighting, she was in a cellar or basement. Perhaps it was even a prison. The bars in front of her reminded her of old western movies she used to watch where the sheriff locked the bad guy away once he was caught. Lily wasn't the bad guy in this scenario though.

Next was to assess the damage. Her eyes scanned her body quickly and found her ankle scuffed and bruised, her shoe was gone. Her dress was also patched with dirt as if she had been dragged and her head pulsed with a strong headache. There was no blood found though besides a bit that had dried on her foot. That was reassuring to say the least.

The last step was to examine the ones holding her captive, but no one was in sight. Unless they were lurking in the shadows, Lily was alone. Her lip quivered. Alone. It was what she hated most about the whole thing. She had always had Alice and Marley and then James, Remus and Sirius too. Now she was by herself, left to fend whatever came at her off without any assistance whatsoever.

A shiver ran through her, wracking her small frame. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to drown out the images her eyes were making in the dark. She tried to think of things like sunshine and green grass, but everything melted into horror as soon as she imagined it.

Before too long, she fell into an uneasy sleep laced with far too many nightmares.

##########

"Potter, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down so we can assess the situation," McGonagall spoke roughly, finally tired of his attitude.

"CALM DOWN? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CALM DOWN! MY WIFE IS MISSING!" he yelled, still pacing.

"She wasn't exactly your wife yet, mate," Sirius muttered. Surely if the pacing went on James would wear a hole through the floor.

"Now is not the time for that, Padfoot." Remus said hitting him in the arm, he eyes laced with fear.

Alice and Marlene were huddled together in the corner of the room, eyes bloodshot and hair in knots. Their backs were sinking into the couch as if they wanted to be engulfed by it and hide from the world. Frank was standing above Alice; hand protectively on her shoulder as if she too would get taken at any given moment.

Sirius couldn't help but think that this wasn't what he wanted his first meeting with the Order of the Phoenix to be like. It was supposed to be full of laughter and sunny introductions. He was supposed to declare himself as the "Master of all Pranks" and Lily was supposed to punch his arm and tell him to act his age while James told her to calm down. The famed Order wasn't quite as large as Sirius would have liked it to be, but larger then he had expected.

They had all done their best to introduce each other and stay as positive about the situation as possible. One of their newest members had been taken after all so it was nearly impossible.

Sirius found that the presence of the Prewitt brothers (Alice's distant cousins) to be quite a relief. They made things less heavy and although their jokes were fruitless, they definitely lightened the mood at least a little bit. With the help of Dorcas Meadowes, a short blonde haired girl who had been a year above the Marauders, the twins kept the silence down and the nervous speaking up which was an improvement to sitting there and thinking of the worst.

"I'm afraid I agree with Minerva, James, now is not the time to panic," Dumbledore stated in his strong voice. The room became silent. "The best we can do is hope that Alastor and Edgar can give us a solid lead before anything drastic happens to Lily,"

"Edgar Bones? Amelia's brother?" Remus asked.

"Yes, the same." Dumbledore replied.

Amelia Bones had been a year below the Marauders at Hogwarts. She reminded Remus much of Lily because of her current aversion to Benjy Fenwick who was in her same year. Remus wouldn't be surprised if they ended up in the same place Lily and James were minus the kidnapping.

Of course _Lily_ was the one that had to be kidnapped. It was always her; always her that the bad things happened to; always her that had to be strong and hold in the tears while she could.

Knowing that both Edgar and Alastor Moody were working on it lifted all of their hearts. Having Moody was an obvious advantage, but some didn't realize how much of an asset Edgar Bones was. His family was definitely one of the brightest of their age. Remus remembered him being particularly gifted at Charms when he was back at school.

"I just want her back," James whispered before collapsing into a chair behind him with his face in his hands, his hair stood up on its ends more than usual.

He could barley comprehend what was happening. There was only one thing that ran through his mind. _Lily is gone_. She was gone right before she was about to become his, right before his dreams were about to come true. He had no idea where she was or if she was hurt or how they were ever going to find her.

Her capture was nearly untraceable. There were no identifiable footprints in the grass and the death eater hadn't dropped anything or left any mark. The only evidence that she had actually been taken was her scream and shoe. The Ministry wouldn't help because of it despite the obvious motives the death eaters could have had. They passed it off as pre-wedding jitters that had caused her to run. Everyone else knew this wasn't the case at all.

James suspected that Moody and Bones were going to try and tap into the apparition records at the Ministry. While neither Lily or the death eater had the trace on them, it was possible that they could still determine the build of the death eater and possibly other giveaways telling them what he looked like from the ripples that had been recorded once he had gone with Lily.

That was all they had. Nothing more. No one had seen anything and the Marauders, Alice, and Marlene were the only ones who had actually heard the scream. It was pathetic. How did they expect to find an eighteen year-old bride in a world full of missing people when they had no lead?

That was just the thing though. Some of the Order didn't. Deep down they all knew how slim the chances really were. They just didn't acknowledge it. They would search for Lily Evans the rest of their lives if they had to. They would never give up, _they_ being the Marauders, Marlene, and Alice because Lily was the one who brought them together. She had taught them all so much and she had shown them what it was to be a true Gryffindor. They wouldn't give up.

This gave James hope. His friends would be standing right there beside him the whole way. He wouldn't be alone. Alone. Like Lily was that very moment.

In the weeks before the wedding, Lily had been renting a room at the Leaky Cauldron despite James' protests that she could just stay at the Potter's home with him and Sirius. She expressed her concerns of it being "improper" since they were then engaged.

Despite this, she was over at his house almost every day. She arrived in the morning and woke him up with a nudge and sometimes a squirt of water out her wand. He would always open his eyes to her beautiful green orbs and sparkly smile. He fell asleep with her wrapped in his arms and she'd leave as soon as he drifted off. Sometimes, if he was lucky, she'd fall asleep next to him on accident and he'd wake to her red, strawberry smelling hair in his face.

It had been in one of those moments that she had expressed her deepest fears to him. The night they had first kissed she had told him she felt _alone_ because no one loved her, but that morning she told him she was scared of being physically alone. Alone without someone's hand to hold or laugh to hear. It scared her so bad and he knew it. James felt like this fear was his fault too. He had been the one who had everyone latch onto her in their seventh year.

He of course told her this and she laughed that laugh that reminded him of sunshine and springtime. She assured him that she was only scared of being alone when she _needed_ someone. When she needed someone to hold her like he would. She was scared of being alone when she needed Sirius to tug on her curls or sling his arm around her shoulder. She was scared of being alone when she needed Alice to pinch her cheek like a little kid or Marlene to tickle her. She was scared of being alone when she needed Remus to squeeze her shoulder to snap her into reality.

That fear was alive now because none of those people were there with her to do any of those things. Because of this, because Lily wasn't there to see him, James cried. He cried because he didn't have to hold it in to keep Lily strong. She wasn't there and that was the only thing he could think about.

##########

Lily woke to a large hand grabbing her upper arm and tugging her upward painfully.

"Watch it buddy, I was sleeping," she irritably, trying to blink out her grogginess as she got pulled out of the cell and down a long and equally dark hallway.

"Oh, feisty are we? You'll give the Dark Lord a good laugh," the man cackled.

Something inside Lily woke and she realized where she was and where this man was surely taking her. A jolt of fear ran through her and shone in her emerald eyes for a split second before they became steely and harsh. Not a sparkle was seen within them.

"Yes, I'm sure he'll have good fun picking on a little girl less than half his age," she drawled, "It'll give him a real kick, make him feel like a man and all."

The man remained silent but she thought she could hear him sigh. Perhaps he was hoping she'd be sobbing and begging for his mercy. How wrong he was though, that would be the last thing she'd think of doing.

Lily closed her eyes and tried to image what could happen and how she'd handle it if it did. The only problem was that her mind went blank and she had no idea of what was going to occur next. She was on her way to meet Voldemort after all, not many lived to tell the tale.

For some reason though, Lily didn't feel scared. She felt strong and brave. She felt like she was destined to make it out of this horrid, dank place alive. Her confidence could very well kill her and she realized that, but something inside of her told her that it would all be okay.

"Is your life flashing before your eyes like it should be, girly?" the death eater cackled.

"Oh for sure, I'm just remembering all the times I've executed the perfect Bat Boogey Hex, it'd be a good look for you. If only I had my wand," she mumbled, trying not to stumble over her own feet.

"Funny. How old are you, girl?"

"Far too young for you, if that's what you're asking,"

"I'm sure that some blood-traitor holds your heart based on your dress, girl. As if I'd wish to marry Mudblood scum like you." He sneered.

"Good, I wouldn't want death eater scum pinning after me either,"

"Shut your mouth now. The Dark Lord never favors chatter boxes."

"Chatterboxes? I never knew that word was used by anyone under eighty, I guess you're a bit ahead of your time aren't you?"

The man stopped and for a moment Lily thought it was something she said. She looked in front of her and saw two large steel doors looking awfully intimidating. Before she could give them a second thought they swung open and her eyes immediately made contact with a pair of red ones across the room.

##########

**Please Review! Sorry for grammar errors! **

**-Sweets5236**


	3. Hope

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"What's the point of this?" Marlene spoke from the floor, "What's the point of trying to sleep?"

"There is none really…I'd rather stay in this position though; no matter what we're doing," Remus replied with his eyes still closed.

"I know, it's quite pitiful actually." She replied.

"I think it's okay to be pitiful…at least until this is all over." Sirius murmured.

The group was collapsed on the ground in a tangle of limbs. It was natural, something they always did in school; feet propped up on others' ankles and heads resting on stomachs or legs. There was a gap though. The gap was where Lily was supposed to be.

An air of dread and anxiety hung throughout the room like the many picture frames that adorned it. The feeling was almost prickly. Anyone who would have walked in would have immediately been engulfed by it.

Mary MacDonald, fellow Order member and best friend to Dorcas Meadowes, had gotten quite frightened after doing just that. She had definitely not expected to see a bunch of eighteen-year-olds on the floor looking as if dementors had confronted them. She had told Dorcas it _felt_ like it too, as if the sadness was radiating off of them like a heater.

Needless to say, they had been left alone for the rest of the night once the word was spread. Most considered it lucky that they were stuck in one room _trying_ to sleep. As much as they didn't want to admit it, they'd rather continue with the investigation without the moping faces of the Marauders in their way. Pity was something that could very easily get in the way of thinking straight.

Dumbledore had finally told the Marauders and Co. to try and rest when three in the morning came around, their efforts to try and drift to sleep were fruitless and they all knew they wouldn't get a minute of it. What Remus said was mirrored by all however. They may not be getting the sleep, but they needed the support. They needed to understand that they personally weren't the only ones scared and that the others were too.

The word _scared_ was most likely an understatement though. They were terrified out of their wits. Filled with trepidation. They were expecting the very worst even though they didn't want to admit it and that was the worst part. On the outside they tried to act as if Lily's time captured was temporary, but deep, deep down, there was a tiny voice that whispered that they might not be able to see her again.

"How are you doing, James?" Remus asked tiredly. He was answered by a moan.

"You know what? Our lives are like those muggle tellyvitson dramas Lily used to ramble on about," Sirius said.

"Television, Sirius, and yes, they kinda are." Remus said after some thought.

"Where do you think she is?" Alice said while blowing her bangs out of her eyes for her own amusement. They flopped back onto her face and she blew them up again.

"The bottom of the ocean, on top of Mount Everest, at a Led Zeplin concert…the possibilities are endless." Sirius responded monotonously. Alice giggled.

"Led Zeplin concert? Really, Sirius?"

"It could happen!" he defended.

"Yes, I'm sure there is a giant death eater convention at some random U.S. Led Zeplin concert. A _muggle_ concert at that." James said, speaking up for the first time.

"One could only hope…at least she'd have the music," Remus said sighing.

"I've never heard any Led Zeplin…is he any good?" Peter asked. His voice caused them to jump. Most had almost forgotten he was even in the room for instead of being in their tangle, he was perched atop one of the tables.

"Decent enough if you like rock," Marlene noted.

"Muggle music is a bit confusing…perhaps I should just stick to the wizard stuff," Peter said after a moment.

"Great idea, Wormy." Said Sirius, wanting to be apart of the conversation. "So, McKinnon…got a boyfriend?"

"Excuse me?" she asked sitting up.

"No need to be defensive, I was just asking a simple question while trying to keep our attention focused on somewhere other then our missing best friend who could be dead any second now!" he said angrily, his grey eyes flashing dangerously before becoming cloudy and misty. He tried desperately hard to hold in the pain and terror he was feeling.

At that point James stood and tiredly carried himself out of the room, rubbing his eyes all the while, also trying to hide his anguish. His glasses lay forgotten on the floor. He vaguely resembled a zombie and Remus thought he saw a tear fall from his eye and a strangled sob come from his mouth before he was out of their sight.

"Nice one, Sirius." He said hitting his friend in the arm.

"I'm sorry, guys. I'm so sorry…I-I didn't mean it, really," Sirius said sitting up and placing his face in his hands. His whole body was shaking and he could no longer hold it in.

"I-it's okay," Alice said sitting up beside him and rubbing his back reassuringly. Silent tears streaked down her cheeks. Frank let out a snore from his spot on the couch causing everyone to jump. "We're all tired, it isn't your fault."

The room became silent and they all shivered at the thoughts that came into their heads once they weren't occupied. The golden lights flickered a bit and Remus frowned. The Burrow, current headquarters for the Order, was different in a pleasant way. It made him sad at how threadbare Molly and Arthur Weasley's home seemed at second glance, but he was reassured at how happy they still were.

"No, I don't," Marlene said after several very long minutes of quiet.

"No, you don't what?" Alice asked, ready to preoccupy her mind once more.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend, Sirius." She said looking him in the eyes.

The smallest of smiles graced his features. For a moment, he had hope.

##########

"Ahhh, Miss Evans, we meet at last,"

His voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard, slithering snakes, and screeching tires all at once. It almost made Lily's ears ache. She frowned at the way he addressed her. She was supposed to be _Mrs. Potter _that day and it was his entire fault that she wasn't. A wave of anger washed over her, but Lily blocked it out best she could.

_Blocked it out_. The thought made a vague memory pop into her head. A memory of a conversation she had with Remus.

"What do you know about Occlumency, Lily?" he had asked after looking up from his thick book during one of their study sessions.

The library was almost deserted as most of the students were outside basking in the sunlight. Said sunlight streamed through the windows, framing all the tiny dust particles floating around the ancient room that would forever smell of old paper.

"Not much…why?" she had asked.

"No reason. It might be wise to learn it though." He said, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Is that what you're reading about?" Lily asked, glancing at his book.

"Yeah. You know…Voldemort is said to be one of the most talented wizards in the world in the subject of Legilimency." he frowned further, picturing what that horrible man could do with that talent.

"You're right…" she whispered, her eyes flashing, "I'll read up on it."

"Please do." Remus said, not bothering to lighten his frown.

So she had. Whenever Lily was presented with spare time, like when James and Sirius were at Quidditch or Alice and Marley were on a date, she picked up a book on Occlumency and studied until her eyes hurt.

What Remus had said scared her. She, by no means, wanted anyone able to scan her thoughts. It was just creepy. Sadly though, Lily never had anyone to try Legilimency on her so her practice was non-existent. She figured that the theory would be quite enough if she really needed it.

At that moment though, Lily desperately hoped with all her mind that the theory _would_ be enough for she was standing in front of the very person who she'd need it most around. Placing all the mental barriers she could around her mind, she finally spoke up.

"What do you want with me?" she spat, already growing angry.

"Your temper is…legendary Miss Evans. I'm pleased to finally see it for myself."

"Is that why you brought me here? To see me curse your being and scream at your vile tendencies?"

"You're a smart one, Evans. What do you think?" he asked, his long pale fingers tapped on the edge of his chair.

"I think you brought me here for a different reason." She said her eyes narrowing at the horrendous man in front of her.

"Correct you are. You see, many a person has told me of your…talents. You seemed to have a natural gift for Occlumency. So sad too, I'd like to see more of what happens in that pretty little mind of yours."

"Have you been sending your cronies to spy on me, Voldemort?" she said smirking despite herself.

"More of less. You see, a witch so young possessing so many fine qualities doesn't commonly remain anonymous to me. So I found myself thinking. I could kill you for your filthy blood, or I could gain so much more and convince you to join the _right_ side."

"Sorry, but I'm already on it." She said narrowing her eyes. His cold ear-splintering laugh rung through the room at her comments, making Lily shiver.

"You're funny, Miss Evans. You have no idea what you're missing. Riches, glory, power, the ability to stand above everything that has ever torn you down."

Her blood boiled. Who did he think he was? Everything that had "torn her down" was _his_ fault. It came to be at _his_ hand. A burst of hatred ran through her for the first time in her whole life.

Lily Evans wasn't a hateful person. Sometimes she'd say she hated something, but she never really meant it. She had a hard time with grudges, never really holding onto them as much as she'd like to. This was different though. This made her want to strangle this man with her bare hands and make him regret everything he did to her. If that wasn't hate she didn't know what was.

"YOU MEAN YOU? HOW WOULD I POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO RISE ABOVE YOU WHEN YOU'RE THE ONE CAUSING SO MUCH MISERY IN THE WORLD?" she shrieked launching herself at him.

The death eater who had brought her in pulled her back at the last moment, painfully yanking her arms backwards in an all too unpleasant angle. She thought she heard something crack. He merely laughed and it made her eyes haze over with rage. Suddenly the laughter from Voldemort stopped as soon as it started.

"I believe you have no idea what you're doing, Miss Evans." He hissed leaning over to her and sliding his finger across his cheek. His long nails left the smallest of red lines. She shivered, full of revulsion. Suddenly, he snapped back and his eyes glowed red. "DO YOU WANT TO BE STRONG, EVANS? CRUCIO!"

The curse hit her right in the chest sending convulsions through her whole body. She collapsed to the floor and all the worst memories of her life flashed before her eyes and she felt like she was sure to die at any moment. She heard a scream splinter through the thick air and realized with horror that it was her own. Lily felt a very, very old wound split open and blood trickle down her ribcage.

"Do you want to be strong, Evans?" he repeated, "Do you want to never feel such _pain_ again? Join me."

A single word burst forth from her lips before she gave in to unconsciousness.

"Never."

Then everything went black.

##########

Lily woke to what she assumed was a new day. She had been slung unceremoniously onto the cell floor. Her leg was bent at an unnatural angle that made her sick to her stomach and her arms throbbed. She scanned the rest of her body to find rope like burns covering her entire figure.

Voldemort was extremely powerful. Lily had read up on the Cruciatus Curse after being subjected to it in her seventh year. It was supposed to leave no outward signs of being cast. A different account, however, had told that if the wizard was particularly strong, there would indeed be marks of the incident.

When Bella had hit her with it several angry red lines appeared on her arms, they were gone within the next day. This was different though. These ones were still there and they stung to the point of making her eyes water.

Suddenly her thoughts transitioned to James and everything seemed a bit less painful. She pictured his warm hazel eyes with the green specks and his messy black hair that she longed to run her fingers through. Lily remembered the last time they had spoke. It was the day before the wedding and they were lying on the grass looking up at the stars in silence.

It was one of those moments. One of those very few perfect moments someone gets in his or her lives. His hand was wrapped around hers and he murmured his dreams for the future in her ear; his dreams that involved _her_; his dreams for _them_. She loved seeing how his eyes sparkled when he was speaking. He looked so happy as if all he wanted in life was right in front of him.

James spoke of the large strawberry garden they'd have outside their little cottage. He talked off the job as aurors they'd all get together and how they'd have a better chance of making it through the war because they had each other's backs. He talked about how he wanted a family. He talked of his desire for a green-eyed son to teach Quidditch to and red haired daughter to spoil and hold hands with in Diagon Alley.

For all Lily knew, that wouldn't happen now. He couldn't fulfill his dreams with her if she never got out. The pain suddenly came back at full force.

She knew it would only get worse when she was once again dragged out of her cell and down the long hallway. That was when her hope left her.

##########

**7days, 15 hours, and 11 minutes later**

**##########**

"WE FOUND HER!"

James was woken from his restless sleep with a jolt and was dashing to the door before the others could even comprehend what was happening.

##########

**I hope you liked it! Next chapter will be the Order rescuing Lily. Please Review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	4. The Start of a Battle

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"Where is she?' James practically yelled at Edgar who had announced the news. The others and just rushed into the room once they understood what had happened.

"A basement. In the basement of one of his new recruits. The culprit remains unnamed, but we know where it is." He said panting.

Edgar had spent the past weeks searching every nook and cranny for this girl. In that space of time he had gotten maybe ten combined hours of sleep and six meals. Moody wasn't one to sit around and do things that were "demeaning".

"CONSTANT VILIGANCE!" Alastor had always yelled. "You need to learn to work on an empty stomach, Bones. There's going to be a time that a piece of bread will become your heaven."

Lily Evans was brilliant, he knew, he just had never realized how important she must be to the Order. If they were putting this much effort into finding her there was definitely a reason. At Hogwarts he rarely talked to her as she intimidated him a bit (though he would never admit it out loud).

Every time he had entered the house the bunch of them would come dashing down the hallways, practically tripping over each other to ask him if their precious Lily was found. They made him realize how much everyone really needed to stick together during this war or else they wouldn't make it out in one piece.

Edgar examined the looks of joy on all of their faces. He'd let them figure out on their own that it was going to be more than difficult to get everyone in, rescue Lily, and get back out again. They'd have to do it all under Voldemort's nose.

When they had asked Dumbledore for advice on how to go at it, the man merely laughed and his blue eyes twinkled.

"Tom likes games, you know." He had said, "I think he'll enjoy this very much. You won't get out without a fight."

Now Edgar was a bit more then nervous. It wasn't every day he battled the Dark Lord and his vicious, bloodthirsty group of followers. It was more than intimidating and brought him chills at the mere thought of it.

"We have to go! We have to go now!" James said hysterically despite the larger-than-life grin plastered to his face.

Euphoria coursed through James' veins and filled him up, his grinning cheeks already started to ache and he didn't even think of all the things that could go wrong during this rescue mission. He was going to get his Lily back and that was all that mattered. He could almost picture her emerald eyes staring up at him in that way that made his insides melt.

They were going to be married. As soon as she was rescued they were going to get married and have a family of red haired hazel-eyed little girls and black haired green-eyed little boys. All of them would be brilliant at Quidditch and Remus, Sirius, Peter, Alice, and Marlene would be their honorary aunts and uncles.

This fantasy, that could very well come to be, was momentarily forgotten as Sirius' deep voice filtered through the images of the cute little cottage he'd buy Lily once she was home.

"Calm down, mate. She's fine, calm down." He said gripping James' shoulder a bit tighter then necessary.

It seemed too good to be true. It had to be true though; Edgar wouldn't joke around about something like this. If he _were_ joking Sirius would hex him into next week. Sirius had the strange desire to chuckle as that thought popped into his head, he was sounding awfully like Lily; Lily who he would be seeing any hour now; Lily who would laugh at his lame jokes and was brave enough to ruffle his hair. Saying he missed the girl who was practically his sister was an understatement.

"How do you know?" James whispered, "How do you know if she's okay? She could be dying, Sirius."

The truth of his own words sent an electrifying shock though him and almost all the happiness drained away with the color in his face. A shiver traveled up him at the image of a battered and bloodied Lily that appeared in his head. Revulsions struck him as he realized that probably _was_ how they'd find her. Seven days gives someone a lot of time to torture and knowing Lily she would have kept her mouth shut and suffered through it all.

"I know, we just need to go into this with a level head. It will all be fine." Sirius said more to himself then to James.

"Moody and I need as much help as we can get, but we need some of the Order to stay here to be ready for when we come back." Edgar said addressing the others who had gathered around.

"I can stay," Peter offered almost timidly. "I won't be up to par with the wandwork that will be going on."

"Thanks, Peter." Remus said clapping him on the shoulder. Several other members volunteered to stay as well.

"How are we getting there?" Alice asked quietly, still in shock that she was going to be seeing her best friend again very soon.

"Apparition. The spot is brilliant really; so obvious that we would have never expected it if we weren't tipped off. You see, the inside of the house is filled with anti-apparition wards but the outside is completely blank. All the wards are on the inside. Of course death eaters can bypass all the enchantments so we can use that to our advantage." He explained.

"Well then, how are we busting in?" Sirius asked, adrenaline already shooting through him.

##########

Lily silently willed the cuts along her arms to heal as if the thought of it would cause the deeper than deep wounds to close up. Lily knew she was sick. Her small frame was hot with fever and the chills came to her too often for comfort. Infection was surely seeping through her body, causing it to slowly shut down. Who knew what other strange diseases she had caught in the moldy cell.

She was strong though. No matter how many times she had been hit with the cruciatus or struck across the face, she stayed strong. She would not break. All Voldemort's questions remained unanswered, but she knew he was having vertiserum brewed especially for her.

It wouldn't be long until it was ready and all the secrets she had been trying to very hard to keep would be released. When that point came, she would have gone through all this pain for _nothing_. He would have won and then he'd dispose of her as he had always planned on doing.

The all too familiar creaking of the cell door sounded, causing her ears to throb and her bones to ache. She knew what was coming. Lily Evans was a smart girl and despite how sick she was, she still had her common sense. It was debatable how long she'd have even that though. A person could only go through so much pain until they were rendered insane.

The same death eater as always stepped in, ready to drag her if needed. She stood though, opting to walk by herself. Her latched onto her arm as if somehow, in her weakened state, she could escape from him. They both knew that wasn't likely.

Somehow, throughout her whole time there, she hadn't caught the face of this death eater. Lily was very curious as to what he looked like under that frightening mask of his. There had been a time in her boredom where she imagined that one day she'd discover it was Sev and he'd have a change of heart so he would release her and give up as a death eater to become her best friend again.

He could visit and she'd get him and James to settle their differences so when the right lady came around and Sev got married they could have tea with their children. It was one giant fantasy though and she knew it would _never_ happen. Lily Evans wasn't stupid and she saw the way Severus Snape looked at her in the halls back at Hogwarts. Things would never be the same between them again.

Lily glanced up at the death eater holding her, lost in thought. She barely paid attention as they traveled down that same hall, to that same door. Lily was ready to lock eyes with the horrible man who kept her captive. She was ready to go through whatever he threw at her next. This was her way of redeeming herself. If she showed no weakness then maybe she could convince herself that she had no weakness. It almost made it all hurt less.

"Ready to speak, Evans?" Voldemort sneered.

He was getting tired with this girl. It was becoming clear to him that there really was no use for her. He'd have his fun while it lasted though. The most exciting part hadn't even happened yet. He knew it would happen too. It would be a daring rescue to be sure and the outcome was still unknown to him. The one thing he did know was that when James Potter and Dumbledore's silly Order arrived, he'd off as many as he could and Evans wouldn't be leaving anywhere. He'd make sure of it himself.

"What do you think?" she croaked back, her voice hoarse.

"Suit yourself." He responded lazily flicking his wand.

Lily felt that sickly familiar pain shoot through her body once again. It was tragic, pathetic even, that she knew exactly what to expect from the unforgivable. Not a sound escaped her throat though. She had learned to hold it in. It made her feel brave like the Gryffindor she was. It was those little things that got her through this.

She had been through the same thing every day for who knows how long. It became too tiring to keep track of what day it was. She had been pulled out of her cell randomly as if they were trying to disorient her. It was working though. She never knew when was day and when was night. One of the things she missed most was the sunshine.

Sunshine. It was what Sirius called her and she'd give anything to hear him say it again. She'd give anything to hear his barking laugh, Remus' sarcastic draw, Marlene's huffs when she didn't get what she wanted, Alice's impression of McGonagall, and even Peter's squeak of a voice. She missed hearing James the most though; hearing his laugh and the stories of some of his greater pranks.

Just as she was about to drift off into a merciful unconsciousness, a crack broke through the routine at the sound of those horrible doors being thrown open and the very voice she had just fantasized about hearing yelled her name.

They had finally come to save her.

##########

"So this is it?" Sirius asked skeptically as they walked up the supposed holding place of Lily.

"Yes, I know it's a bit dingy, but that makes it even better of a spot to hide." Edgar stated cringing at the spider webs weaved across the bushes.

"Do we just…walk in?" Remus said frowning. He still didn't understand how this was supposed to work.

Voldemort's hideout was supposed to be huge and spacious and richly furnished. He was supposed to have death eaters at every corner and a trillion and two wards surrounding the gates alone. At least this was what Remus thought it would be like. This place contradicted all his expectations.

It was small and shabby with broken shingles littering the yellow lawn and broken windows covering the upper half. A quarter of the chimney was missing along with the majority of the chipped, now brown, picket fence.

"Of course not boy. The doorway alone holds more protective enchantments then the Ministry itself." Moody snarled coming up behind him. Now that sounded more like Remus was expecting.

"Then how exactly do we get in?" Sirius asked raising his eyebrows.

James merely stared up at the small building obviously astounded that this was where Lily was being held that very moment. This was the closest he had been to her in a whole _week_. He could practically smell her strawberry shampoo already.

"Luckily all it takes to disable all of them is a dark mark."

"We don't exactly have one of those."

"Well, we can get one easy enough." Moody grunted as if it was completely obvious. He glanced suspiciously around the house's corners as he spoke.

"I don't know about that, Moody…unless you're willing to take one for the team and get branded that is." Gideon said clapping the man on the shoulder with a large smile on his face.

"Always the team player, aren't you?" Fabian said rounding on him.

"We've no time for laughs boys now shut up and focus." he barked.

The group turned at the sound of someone being dragged just outside the gates. They saw Dorcas and Mary pulling an unconscious man clad in black by the feet. Sirius would've given anything to see them knock him out. He could just picture Mary acting completely innocent and sweet to distract him then Dorcas hexing him in the back when he least expected it.

"Got the passed out death eater you asked for, Moody." Dorcas panted. "He needs to lose a few if you know what I mean."

The two girls unceremoniously dropped him to the ground with a 'thump'. The man would surely have a goose egg on his head in the morning. He was no one any of them recognized and Remus almost felt relieved. He knew that a fair number of the Slytherins from their year were likely on Voldemort's side, but he didn't wish to see their faces quite so soon after leaving school.

"Well that's great!" Sirius muttered under his breath. "We just…wave his arm under the door?"

"Essentially." Edgar said frowning at the body on the ground. It all seemed too easy.

"Let's get to it then." Remus replied, wanting to get it over with. He was getting the jitters standing in plain view in front of Voldemort's hideout. Any second the Dark lord himself could throw that black front door open.

Remus turned to James and frowned. He swore that his friend hadn't moved once in all the time they've been there. He was just staring at that house with a glazed over look in his eyes. He could have been drunk for all Remus knew, but he seemed sober enough. He could tell because behind that glaze he could barely make out a raging storm of anger and resentment. James was trying so very hard to hold it back that he could only stand there, focusing all his energy on that one thing.

Remus was right though. James was planning a million deaths for the man who stole away his Lily. He hadn't seen her beautiful eyes in a _week_. A whole week. A torturous seven days. A painful one hundred and sixty eight hours. He had been counting, but he stopped with the minutes when he discovered that they found her. He had simply lost track in all the excitement.

"Prongs, mate? Are you okay?" Sirius asked snapping him back into reality.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Lets get this over with." He replied taking a deep breath.

Remus, Sirius, and James picked up the man best they could and carried him up the few worn steps to the door. The wooden steps creaked with the weight of the four bodies and they all feared the porch might collapse from under them for it seemed very hollow underneath.

Sirius picked up the man's limp hand and slapped it to the door. He really didn't know what to expect. Was it supposed to glow? Was it supposed to creak open by itself as if the place was haunted? Was it supposed to explode and then reform itself once they were in?

He understood that the last scenario wasn't very likely but he let his imagination run wild and his anticipation built. He stood there for a second after the man's hand had touched the door but nothing happened. That was a let down.

"Are you sure this thing is real?" he asked flipping the hand over to examine the black mark on the forearm. It looked pretty real to him. The creepy snaking-in-skull thing was as hideous as it should be.

"Just open, the door Black." Moody replied. He stomped up the steps and twisted the handle. It gave and the door swung open.

"Oh…that works I guess." Sirius said poking his head into the place.

It stunk of rust and mildew. The floor seemed deserted as there were cobwebs decorating the ceiling and a thick layer of dust covered the old floorboards. An eerie feeling laced the air inside giving them all shivers as they stepped in.

"He knows" Moody muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Edgar asked.

"He knows. Voldemort knows we're here. I don't know what he's playing at."

"What gives you that idea?" Remus asked while glancing at the dank room.

"It's obvious boy, see any death eaters?"

"Where are they then?" Sirius asked, almost scared for the answer.

"Oh they're here all right. He wants us to find them so it shouldn't be all too difficult."

The group jumped as a loud, ear-splintering creak resounded through the room. Moody instantly turned with his wand out to see the Prewitt brothers standing next to a newly opened doorway behind a bookcase.

"I've always wanted to go through a secret passageway behind a load of dusty old books." Gideon said with a wide grin. Fabian was already peering into the dark tunnel.

"Bravo, boys." Sirius exclaimed. He was excited at how much of an adventure this was turning into.

"Wands out. Follow me." Moody pushed in front of them and made his way into the tunnel with his wand lit up.

It wasn't long before they passed several barred cells and they came to a pair of very large, menacing black iron doors.

James, sensing that his Lily was near, pushed them open without a second thought. He was met with the sight of her withering on the floor in agony. The Dark Lord himself stood above her, smiling at them in an almost welcome.

"LILY!" James heard a strangled voice yell. He realized it was his own.

##########

Lily's head shot up despite the aching of her bones. The curse had stopped as James entered. James. He was there. He was there to save her just as she hoped he would be.

She turned her head and their eyes met. Oh how she missed his eyes. She felt tears sparkle in her own at the relief that was coursing through her veins. Then she realized where she was and who was standing above her that very moment.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, I'd been hoping we'd meet." His nails-on-a-chalkboard voice spoke.

"I'm sorry that I can't say the same to you."

A stunning flash of red energy shot out from behind James right towards Voldemort. He was too smart though and a shield was conjured before it was halfway there.

After that everything seemed to go in slow motion. Voldemort pulled up his sleeve to reveal more icy white skin. Imprinted on that skin was the mark, _his mark_. He pressed his slender finger to the black ink and they all froze in anticipation. This was the wrong move for dozens of death eaters apparated in the small, sparsely lit room. Each was sporting a wand, ready to kill if needed.

The room lit up in a cruel array of colors…the battle had begun.

##########

**Please review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	5. Success

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

Lily sprung to her feet when she realized that lying on the ground wasn't going to do anyone any good. Her pain seemed to melt away as adrenaline replaced it. Her prized wand was out in an instant and within seconds she had stunned a death eater in the back causing him to fall to the ground. Dorcas, who had been dueling the man, looked at Lily with worry. She really was in no condition to be fighting. Lily didn't even consider that though and she had disappeared into the battle before Dorcas could get her out.

As she rushed past she saw many familiar faces dueling and she wanted desperately to fight beside them but she knew she needed to get to James. Something in her told her that if she stopped all her injuries would hit her with full force.

Spots clouded her vision and she tried to shake them off best she could. That didn't stop the nausea that was rising with in her and the dehydrated that was returning. These were all miniscule things in her mind though. They wouldn't stop her but she knew she'd pay for it in the end.

"Ah, Miss Evans. May I ask where you're going?" a pale, incredibly thin hand latched onto her wrist and a shudder traveled through her body at the contact.

"Are you going to whisk me away? Run so that your death eaters can fight your battle for you?"

"Not at all. I just wanted to warn you that one wrong decision could end a life." His eerie red eyes flicked to James and Sirius battling.

Suddenly he was gone. Lily could tell he was still in the room though. She could feel that cold feeling that ensued when in his presence. Shaking it aside, she flung a hex at the nearest death eater and was at James' side in a matter of seconds.

He seemed to shocked to see her there beside him and Lily thought that maybe it wasn't a good idea to have gone to him for he was standing there with his wand arm dangling at his side, staring at her with those big hazel eyes.

"Lily," he muttered. Hearing him say her name made the sun come out from behind the clouds. It was all she needed to make it out.

##########

"I want to congratulate you all on your brilliant success." Dumbledore spoke. His blue eyes sparkled as always. "I'm sure you're all wondering _why_ Miss Evans needed saving in the first place.

"You got that right." Sirius mumbled under his breath. Remus scowled at the remark and turned back to his former headmaster.

"You see, Lord Voldemort likes to know who he's playing against."

"Why did he have to take, Lily? Why not one of us?" James asked referring to the Marauders.

Why her? That had been James' question for so long that he was sick of it not getting answered. It was like some unseen force was out to get her. There were so many other people out there who could have gotten hurt or broken but it just had to be Lily every time.

"I believe that he has taken a special interest in her. How a muggleborn has succeeded so much is confusing to him. He wants to know what makes her so special for if he figures it out he believes that a pureblood could do it better. Lily having so many connections to the Order and so many willing friends just made the whole situation better for him. He not only got to observe her, he also got to observe the rest of us in battle."

"Professor? How do you know that's what he's been thinking?" Remus asked. Several voices around the small room of the Burrow agreed with the question.

Remus would never doubt Dumbledore for a second but he was very curious. This old man knew a great deal about Voldemort and something inside Remus wanted that knowledge too. Dumbledore had saved so many lives with his smarts throughout the years and Remus ached for that.

"I was once his teacher. If you look closely you'll find that Tom is becoming very predictable and do call me Albus, I'm not your headmaster anymore."

Remus nodded in understanding and glanced up the long staircase to where Lily was resting. She had passed out during apparation once they all got out of the house and had been unconscious for the past few hours. Dumbledore had called Madam Pomfrey in and Remus soon lost count of the number of potions poured down his friend's throat when they had all been up there with her.

Now the Order was assembled around the room discussing what they would do next. It was the big question in everyone's mind. "What now?" He remembered Lily answering that very question at the end of their year. They just had to keep fighting and all would be well.

##########

It wasn't long before James couldn't take any more talk of strategies and plans of attack. He figured one less voice wouldn't hurt them so he stood and made his way up the creaking stairs to the room Lily was in.

He could hear Molly's three children running rampant in their playroom. After meeting them all days earlier he had grown a soft spot for the Weasley children. He wasn't around kids very often and sometimes it was nice to see them in action. He suspected they had been banished to the upstairs until the meeting was over. They seemed content enough though and their laughter made him smile.

Turning his mind back to Lily, James softly pushed the old wooden door open and slipped inside, closing it behind him. The room was bright and cheery and Sirius insisted on charming it yellow like the sun. He thought it would help her wake up. James just thought that it did nothing but hurt his eyes.

She looked the same as she did the last time he saw her several hours ago. The only difference was that a miniscule amount of colors had returned to her cheeks. James suspected that was thanks to Madame Pomfrey's potions. The girl was sure to have an unpleasant aftertaste in her mouth when she woke up. He had taken his fair share of potions and he knew that there were very few that didn't make him want to gag.

He collapsed into the chair beside her and clasped her hand tightly, wanting her to feel the squeeze and wake up. That was silly though. He'd be lucky if she woke in a week. The list of injuries Madam Pomfrey had given him was extensive to say the least. She had multiple bruises and cuts, a broken ankle, a fractured wrist, a dislocated shoulder, had lost an unhealthy amount of blood, and was covered in angry red marks.

The last thing on the list confused him a great deal. He had only been told they were created by dark magic but no one knew what that magic was. Dumbledore was supposed to offer his help once the meeting was over and James was sure he'd know, but it still worried him.

Soon James had drifted into a deep sleep with only Lily on his mind.

##########

"Hey Charlie! Want a ride on my motorcycle?" Sirius asked, bending down to the boy's height.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" he squealed. His daddy had told him all about muggle motorcycles while his mommy went into town.

"Sirius Black you will do no such thing!" Molly screeched at what she heard. "Do you know how dangerous that is? For a grown man even, not to mention a little boy!" she bustled past him muttering about 'kids these days' and 'poor choices'.

Sirius sighed. It wasn't his fault he was bored out of his mind. James was busy moping, Remus was sleeping, and even Peter was out doing something! He was stuck and he knew he'd go insane if he didn't find something to occupy his time.

At that very moment a soft knocking sounded on the door. Seeing this as an opportunity to relieve his boredom he rushed to the source before Molly could even get into the room.

"Who is it?" he spoke in a singsong voice while throwing the door open.

"You are an idiot, Sirius. What if I was a death eater?" Marlene spoke angrily.

Her dark curls were pulled into a very messy bun on the top of her head and the purple bags under her eyes spoke of the little sleep she had been getting. Sirius still thought she was beautiful and those chocolate eyes were still the same if not a bit sad.

"Are you?" he asked.

"That's not really the type of question you're supposed to ask." She replied tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.

"Who was the hottest guy in our year?"

"Remus" her eyes sparkled with unshed laughter.

"Yep, definitely a death eater." Sirius slammed the door in her face and went about his business, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Sirius, who was at the door?" Molly asked as she walked in.

"I have no idea, but it sure wasn't Marley." Molly frowned and walked over to the door to find a very irritated Marlene McKinnon sitting on the doorstep. She stood.

"Thank goodness, I thought you were Sirius again." She said, honestly grateful.

"Well I'm quite sure you're you dear but I'll have to ask a question anyway. What did Sirius say as soon as you all apparated back here from Lily's rescue?"

"Someone make me some pie, I'm famished!" Marlene exclaimed in a hilarious impression of Sirius.

"That didn't sound like me one bit." He said coming up from behind Molly. Mrs. Weasley ushered Marlene in and went back to work with a small smile on her face.

"Do you want to do something fun?" Sirius asked as soon as she stepped in.

"Will it get me arrested, killed, injured, kicked out of Europe, or any combination of the four?" she asked hesitantly.

"If we get caught." He replied with a distinguishable glint in his eyes.

"Sure, why not. I only came here to return Remus' book anyway." She threw said book onto Remus who was asleep on the couch. He didn't even twitch.

"He's always been a deep sleeper." Sirius said shrugging.

He grabbed onto Marlene's wrist and pulled her back outside. The hot summer air was heavy and enveloped them like a blanket as soon as they stepped foot onto the dry grass. Marley's nose twitched, a strange habit she had developed whenever she was uncomfortable. Sirius was pulling her to Arthur's shed before she could even think about it.

He threw the large doors open and grinned at what awaited them. It was his shiny Gryffindor themed motorcycle. Marlene had heard many a rumor about it. Lily described it as "a demon bent on sending me to my impending doom". It looked safe enough though and Lily _was_ known for being a tad dramatic.

"Want to go on a ride with me?" he asked repeating the question he had asked little Charlie earlier.

Marlene eyed it hesitantly and finally nodded her head. He whooped with joy and climbed onto the bike. Marley stood still for several moments before finally shuffling over and climbing on behind him.

"This is…safe, right?" she asked biting her lip.

"It depends on your definition of safe." He said was a smirk.

Suddenly Sirius revved his engine and shot off down the lane. Marlene clutched to his waist and buried her head in his shirt with her eyes squeezed shut. She could feel the hot wind rushing past them and she realized that it wasn't such a bad sensation after all. She opened her eyes a crack and almost slipped off the seat when she saw that they were no longer on the ground, but instead flying in the air.

"You might want to hold on a bit tighter." Sirius said grinning like a mad man.

"SIRIUS! ARE YOU INSANE? I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW YOUR DEFINITION OF SAFE RIGHT NOW!" she screeched.

"Marley, calm down. I won't let you fall."

Despite the promise, Marlene couldn't help but feel like any second she would slip off the seat of the bike and splatter all over the ground. She realized that Lily's opinion of the bike was quite accurate.

Soon enough her quivering limbs calmed and her breaths slowed to normal. She peeked her eyes open again and focused on not looking at the ground. She realized that the clouds really were pretty up close. She wouldn't want to ride though one of them though.

"Do you like it?" Sirius yelled over the rushing wind.

"Yeah…I do." She surprised herself with the answer but smiled when she realized she was being honest.

Sirius was also grinning in front of her. In that moment he could picture Christmas years from then. The war would be over and they'd all be huddled around a large tree. Little redhead girls would be playing with their dolls as Lily and James exchanged presents and Peter would be introducing them to his new girlfriend. Remus would of course be a professor or something equally smart and his wife would be sitting on his lap in a recliner.

This wasn't the first time he pictured their future, but it was the first time he saw himself in it. He saw himself with his arm around Marlene, watching a brown haired, grey eyed little boy building a tower with his new blocks.

Maybe it was a little far fetched. Even if he _did_ start dating Marlene what were the chances that they'd stay together? What were the chances that they'd all make it out of the war? He didn't want to focus on that though. He just wanted to focus on her arms wrapped around his middle and the soft laughter that sounded.

##########

"J-James?" Lily's shaky voice spoke.

James, who had been sleeping in the chair beside her, woke with a start. He peered at her, wondering if he had imagined it. He knew he hadn't when her green eyes snapped open and she shot forward to a sitting position.

"Calm down, you're okay Lily. You're at the Burrow." He assured her quickly. She just gazed at him intently in response.

"How long was I out?" she asked glancing around the yellow room. She wanted to laugh at its absurdity.

"Not as long as we'd thought you'd be." He said running a hand through his dark hair with a large smile plastered on his face.

She was awake. She was finally awake and okay. Her voice sounded just as beautiful as he remembered it even though it was a bit strained and scratchy. He saw her wince as she shifted and all he wanted to do was end her pain.

"James, how long have I been out?" she repeated.

"Three days."

"I feel like I was hit with a bus." She said pressing a palm to a forehead in an effort to stop her growing headache.

Her limbs ached and her whole body burned. She didn't even want to think about what she might look like in that moment. The scarring marks on her arms and legs told her that it wasn't pretty.

"You might as well have been with the condition you were in." he stood up quickly and paced the room. "Why did he have to take you?"

"James,"

"Why you of all people in England?"

"James," she repeated more insistent this time.

"He could have taken anyone!"

"JAMES!" he whipped around at her shouted plea, "It's over now. It's over." She held her arms out and he instantly walked over and engulfed her in a large hug.

Her pain momentarily melted away at the contact and she felt safe. Lily fingered the curl hair at the nape of his neck, loving how very familiar it was. She knew in that moment that they would figure it out. They would continue forward and nothing would change despite what had happened.

"This was the third time I'd thought I'd lose you." He whispered into her ear. His fingers fiddled with her red locks and their strawberry scent seemed to calm him.

"I'm sorry." She muttered back. "Let's get married." James pulled back a bit in surprise.

"What?"

"Tomorrow. Lets get married tomorrow. We can get me a new dress tonight and have it at the church in town. We'll invite the Order and your parents. It'll be small…and safe."

"Okay…yeah, that's great." He said finally beaming. "We're getting married. I should tell Sirius. I should probably tell Madam Pomfrey you're awake actually. She's probably going to yell at me." Lily could tell he was in a daze, surprised by how fast things were moving again.

"That's great James." She said with a giggle, it hurt her aching throat but it was nice to laugh.

He looked at her with so much love in his eyes that Lily felt like melting. His lips brushed against hers in a kiss too small for her liking. She sighed but couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"We're getting married." He said one last time before he left the room with that same stupid grin.

Lily shook her head and went back to wondering if the room was naturally that yellow or if someone thought it would be funny if she woke to such a place.

##########

**I am sooooo sorry for the lateness! My mom and I went to see Wicked last night and I didn't have time to post it. I know this chapter jumps around a bit but it's sorta an introduction to things starting to get normal for Lily. Please Review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	6. A Few Worries Vanished

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

James' eyes swept the storefronts of the small village he had apparated to. Shades of blue and grey adorned the small number of shops along with the post office and pub. It made the place feel warm and welcoming. The worn cobblestone street was made him smile too. Lily would love it here.

He strolled down the lane aimlessly passing several green and grassy parks and a peaceful cemetery. He entered the graveyard and walked along the rows of headstones. He took his time to clear some of his thoughts. He was getting married in an hour's time after all.

He passed several familiar names on the stones and almost did a double take at a woman with the last name of Dumbledore. He wondered if she had any relation to the headmaster. Once he thought about, James realized that he really knew nothing about Professor Dumbledore's life outside of Hogwarts and the Order. He quickly forgot about it though as he continued on his way.

James appreciated the brightly colored flowers that sprung from the tall grass and several bouquets were seen lying across some of the graves. It really was a beautiful place.

Exiting the cemetery James walked with more purpose to the place he had come to see. He stopped in front of a nice little cottage that he knew was roomier on the inside then it appeared. This wasn't the first time he had been to this cottage. He had been there before several times that summer.

At that point the ivy dotted with blue flowers that laced the walls of the house and the white picket fence were familiar to him and he loved them more each time he came.

He walked into the cottage and glanced around. All was in order. The furniture was in place and Sirius had finally charmed the walls the correct shades with Remus' help.

A flicker of doubt grew inside of him. What if she didn't like it? What if she thought it was horrible? What if she didn't want it to be her home? He frowned. It was silly; of course she'd like it. Even if she didn't he'd let her change it however she wanted to.

With a sigh James decided that he should probably get back to get into his suit. With a loud 'POP' he was gone in an instant.

##########

Remus stood in front of the worn church. It was small and made of aged brick, but it seemed timeless. Patches of little purple and white flowers lined the walkway up to the double doors and the grass was a pretty shade of green. It was actually some place he'd picture James and Lily get married in despite them picking it out of convenience.

He heard heavy footsteps behind him looked to see Moody. At the sight of the famed auror he almost flinched. Alastor had lost his eye when they had gone in to rescue Lily. They had been lucky according to him. He said that he'd rather lose an eye then lose a member of the Order. His was the only one who sported a severe injury not counting Lily of course. It had been replaced with a magical, electric blue eye that was strapped to his head. A rumor soon started that he could see through solid objects. Alastor himself had confirmed it.

He was still Moody though, still the same man shouting orders and placing dozens of death eaters in Azkaban. If anything the replacement made him even more intimidating if at all possible. His total of one missing limb (his leg) was now two yet he didn't even seem to care.

"You know what you're doing, Lupin?" he gruffly asked looking up at the church.

"Lily and I used to quiz each other on protective enchantments. We thought it might be helpful." He replied.

"That doesn't answer my question, boy."

"Yes, I know what I'm doing." Moody nodded in response and left to do whatever Moody did when he had extra time. No one would be surprised if he plotted the death of his enemies.

Deciding he should get to work Remus started the long process. He had been assigned to taking care of all protective enchantments that needed to be placed around the building. Security was being increased by ten after last time and he knew that he had to get it right. James would kill him if he didn't

As he muttered the spells that had been pounded into his head by Lily he wondered if _he_ would ever get married and have a wedding just like this one. Something stopped him from picturing it though.

He had a hard time letting people love him. You see, Remus Lupin could love just fine, he was actually very good at it, he just couldn't accept the feeling easily. He was scared. Scared that he'd hurt someone. He stayed away from the kind of love that would want someone to marry him because of it. Deep down, Remus wanted someone stubborn enough to want to marry him despite how scared he was. He'd never admit it though.

##########

"Why must I be cursed, Padfoot? Why?" James asked as he tried desperately to flatten his hair. It stuck up twice as much in response.

"People have flaws, Prongs. Deal with it. Scratch that, everyone besides _me_ has flaws."

"You're full of it you mangy mutt." Remus noted after hearing what he said as he walked into the room.

"Good to see you, Moony. How was making the building impossible for death eaters to enter?" Sirius asked choosing to disregard Remus' comment.

"It was brilliant. Of course it was! Casting a bunch of ridiculously hard charms in the beating sun by myself is always fun!"

"That sounds like sarcasm." James commented off handedly, still battling with his hair. Needless to say, he was loosing.

"Right you are, smart one." Sirius commented. He had just entered a battle similar to James'. This one was with his tie.

"It's safe, that's all that matters I guess." Remus said collapsing into the nearest chair. "Nervous?" he asked James.

"No, not at all, of course not. Why would I be nervous? I have nothing to be nervous about. It's not like I'm scared Lily will suddenly laugh in my face and tell me this was all once big joke…or a dream, not at all." He voice was shaky and high-pitched.

"Somebody's lying!" Sirius exclaimed in a singsong voice.

"Fine then…I'm nervous, okay?"

"Prongs, it's perfectly normal to be nervous, just calm down." Remus said with a laugh.

"I know. You wouldn't mind pinching me would you? Just in case?"

"Gladly." Sirius said walking over to his friend and socked him in the arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?" he asked rubbing his now sore arm.

"Hey, at least you know you aren't dreaming. Now, will you help me with my tie?"

"Don't be a girl, Padfoot. Figure it out."

"You're one to talk, your girlfriend taught you how to tie yours!" he exclaimed.

"Then go ask his girlfriend." Remus said. He figured getting Sirius out of the room would lower the sound level and he'd be able to squeeze in a short nap before the ceremony.

"You know what? I will."

Success. Remus finally drifted to sleep while James muttered something about hating his father's genes.

##########

Lily clutched to Marlene's arm as she was getting her hair done by Alice. She couldn't help but feel a little scared. After what happened the last time she tried to get married she had a right to. She winced as Alice pulled at a particularly sensitive piece of hair at the nape of her neck.

"Lily, you're going to be fine. Just about every member of the Order is here and half of them are aurors! Not to mention that Remus probably cast about a million enchantments on the church and Dumbledore will be strengthening them himself!" Marlene assured her.

"I know, I'm just…nervous."

"Not getting cold feet are you, Sunshine?" Sirius asked as he walked in with his tie hanging lazily around his neck.

Lily motioned for him to come over and pushed him to his knees so they were eye level. Alice had made it clear that Lily couldn't move her head while she was trying to twist Lily's wild curls into something presentable. She took Sirius' tie and quickly corrected it without much thought. It matched his eyes. She wondered if he picked it out knowing the fact.

"Thanks." he said with a grin, "I was hoping you could do it."

"You're welcome and no, I'm not getting cold feet."

She couldn't even think of every leaving James for something as silly as being nervous. Lily knew she loved him so that gave her no reason not to marry him that very day. While the image in her head was amusing, she just couldn't realistically see herself as a runaway bride.

"You're going to be okay, you know that right?" he asked starting to frown thinking she was worried of getting confronted by one of Voldemort's cronies again.

"No, that's not it. I'm fine."

He could sense the hesitation in her voice that said she wasn't being completely honest. He could tell that yes, she wasn't scared of a repeat of last time, but she wasn't fine. Something in her eyes looked scared and as veiled as she tried to make it, he could still see it there as plain as day.

"Then what is it?"

Lily felt Alice squeeze her shoulder and she peered up at her friend. Alice, being as smart as she was, knew that Lily wasn't going to tell Sirius anything with them in the room. She wasn't offended by it though, she was just glad that Lily had someone to _really_ talk to. Her and Marlene would always be her best friends and they would always be there for Lily, but Lily needed them for different reasons.

"It's done. You look beautiful, Lily." She said genuinely. Her eyes sparkled happily. Soon she had pulled Marlene, despite the girl's protests, out of the room leaving the two alone.

"Sirius…I want a family."

"And?" he asked, not sure where this was going.

"What if I don't get one? What if…what if something goes wrong?" she asked hesitantly.

She paused before finishing and that was all he needed to know that perhaps she didn't even realize the real problem. Lily remained silent for a while; trying to sort through her thoughts and find the real reason she was worried.

"I think we both know that's not what your worried about." His grey eyes looked concerned and he pulled a chair in front of her so he could sit down.

Sirius had always been able to see right through Lily. Even before they were friends actually. It was a bit unnerving but sometimes she was grateful for it. She wanted to tell him, but she was scared of the answer she'd get. She was scared that saying it out loud might somehow crush her hope.

"Raising a child in a war…what will that do to them?" she finally asked, her voice a hollow whisper. Sirius reached out for her hand and squeezed it softly.

"Nothing. It's not the world that raises them, Lily. It's you and you have so much love inside of you that you were practically made to be a mother! I promise Lily, it's going to be okay."

"How do you know?"

"I don't. We can always hope though."

She nodded weakly and stared at the ground. He didn't even know. What would happen if she lived in a fantasy world like that? A world where she just believed in what she wanted to happen? Sirius, he could afford to because he…he was him, that's who he was and he had adjusted to it. Lily just knew that if she relied on hope too much reality would crush her.

Sirius tilted her chin up, making her look him in the eye. His stare was unmoving and it comforted her a bit once she realized that Sirius would always be there. He was her constant.

"Lily, be happy! Please! James loves you so much; I know he does because he never stops talking about it. Remus, Peter, Alice, Marlene, and I, we all love you too. You have to know we do, Sunshine. Please be happy because you have all you need to conquer everything…love. Sorry for sounding like Dumbledore, but I really believe that."

"I never knew you could be so wise, Snicker Doodle." She said. She hadn't called him that in months but it made him realize that the old Lily was back. The Lily they lost after New Years.

"Ready to get married?" he asked. She grinned widely in response.

###########

"I love you. You and your strawberry shampoo." James whispered into Lily's ear as he spun her around the dance floor at their reception.

She was finally legally his. Mrs. Lily Potter. It sounded amazing. It sounded beautiful and wonderful and lovely. Lovely Lily was now his wife. Lily who was now best friends with the Marauders even though she used to despise them, Lily who trudged through so much, Lily who he had loved since his third year. She was his.

"Well I love you too. You and your messy hair." She said grinning while ruffling said hair, as she had always loved to do.

"Where would you like to go, Lily? I think an impromptu honeymoon is just what we need. Paris? Sicily? The Caribbean?"

"Home. I want to go home James. To a home that I can call mine. I haven't had one in a long time. Hogwarts didn't really cut it." She muttered into his neck.

"I know you haven't. Home it is then." He said grinning. He didn't care as long as he had his Lily in his arms. She pulled back in surprise.

"Really? I…I was being silly James. Do we…do we really have a home?"

"Yes, we do. It's quite wonderful actually, I was there today."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." He looked down at her with a smile and that smile grew wider when he saw her beaming face. She looked so happy and knowing that _he_ caused that happiness made his heart swell.

"Where is it?"

"Godric's Hallow. Just the spot for a family."

Just then all of Lily's worries vanished.

##########

**Yay! They're finally married! I haven't focused on Remus very much and I just realized this so I gave him his own little section this chapter. Tell me what you think!**

**-Sweets5236**


	7. Calm Before the Storm

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"GOOD MORNING POTTERS!" Sirius yelled as he walked into the cottage.

Moony had told him to give them a week and a half honeymoon period. Luckily that period had ended two hours ago so he wasn't going to get in trouble with this impromptu visit…he hoped. Lily _was_ particularly grouchy in the mornings but he figured Prongs would stick up for him.

"Lily's going to murder you." A sleepy voice said from the stairs.

Sirius turned to see James standing there in his snitch patterned pajamas rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"I bet she already fell back asleep." He said knowingly, "How's life as a married man?"

"Brilliant. This place is perfect." James plopped onto the nearest couch and Sirius sat in the chair across from him.

"Excited for tomorrow?" Sirius asked.

It had been quite a while since him and James had sat down and had a man-to-man talk. Sirius loved Lily to death but anytime the subject changed to Quidditch around her she went into a rant about how incredibly dangerous it was but she usually contradicted herself within the next minute by noting how 'the game is really quite clever and the mechanics are incredible once you think about it.' Needless to say, the boys never really got the chance to talk.

"Not every guy gets to run around a forest with a werewolf every month, I think I'm more than excited."

"I'm glad Dumbledore gave Moony the okay to use the Shack again."

"Do you think he knows…about us?" James asked.

"Of course he does, he's Dumbledore." Sirius scoffed.

That was the answer to just about everything concerning the aging man. How did he defeat Grindelwald? He's Dumbledore. Why does Voldemort fear him? He's Dumbledore. How did he become such an amazing headmaster? He's Dumbledore. How can he get away with having a three-foot long beard? He's Dumbledore. James always fantasized about having a name like that. A name where he never needed an explanation for how he did things, he was just who he was.

James turned as he heard someone about to come down the stairs. It was obvious that that someone was Lily.

"Morning, Sirius. I hate you right now…a lot." She spoke as she slid down the stairs apparently too lazy to walk. She trudged over to James and stretched out on the couch, using his lap as a pillow.

"I love you too, Sunshine." He said with a smirk, "Why so tired?"

"We stayed up to play in the rain." She mumbled while burrowing her head deeper into James.

Very soon into their relationship back at Hogwarts Lily had discovered that James probably had the comfiest lap in the world. Granted, she hadn't laid on many boys' laps before but she was convinced that his would out rule all.

"Really?"

"Hmmm." She hummed in response.

"Yeah, we threw on our rain boots and splashed in every puddle out there." James said grinning at the recent memory.

Sirius immediately burst into loud laughter. He could just picture the two of them holding hands and jumping into the little pools of water like in those cheesy chick flicks Alice and Marlene had tried to get him to watch in the past week. Apparently not being able to be with Lily made him their second choice. Moony found that hilarious and Frank only shook his head in amusement.

"I didn't think it rained last night." Sirius said between his chuckles.

"It did…at one in the morning. Lily was having me watch all her favorite muggle movies on the televitson,"

"Television, James." Lily's muffled voice said interrupting him.

"Right, television. My favorite was Star Wars. By the time we were done it was raining so we went outside."

"I can't help but feel a little jealous that you guys didn't invite me." Sirius pouted. James merely rolled his eyes in response. "To make up for it I demand you take me on a tour of this painfully small village."

"Deal, as long as you let us sleep for another half hour."

"Fine with me." He said shrugging, "Now toss me that pillow."

Within the next three minutes the boy was fast asleep on the carpet, which he later reported to be very, very comfortable.

##########

Remus knocked loudly on the Potter's door. He soon heard soft footsteps; the click of a muggle bolt being unlocked and several muttered enchantments before the door swung open to reveal a bright eyed Lily. Her hair was a bit tousled and Remus assumed she had only gotten up moments ago.

"Morning Remus, what are James and Sirius every full moon?"

"A stag and dog." He said with a smile before walking in. "I'm glad you have the sense to ask a security question."

She looked over her shoulder and Remus saw Sirius sleeping on the floor and James passed out on the couch.

"I wouldn't be surprised if James forgot to ask Sirius a question, but by his behavior I'm sure it's him. How he got past the enchantments I have no idea."

"James told him how no doubt." Remus said with a chuckle.

"How are you?" she asked wearily.

This was definitely on of Remus's worst days. The premature greyness that streaked patches of his hair seemed to stand out more and his face was white as snow. His many scars also seemed to jet out severely. It wasn't a pleasant sight and it made Lily's hear ache for the man who did so much good but had gotten cursed with something so awful anyway.

"Well enough. Full moon's tomorrow so I'm a bit worse for wear…a little achy, a little tired, but that's all really."

Lily could tell he was lying as the pain was obviously etched onto his face despite how hard he tried to hide it. She knew arguing wouldn't do anyone any good so she merely frowned and led him into the kitchen as to not wake James and Sirius. They sat down at the large table where Lily had been finishing her breakfast. Remus poured himself some cereal as he sat down, knowing she wouldn't mind.

"James didn't tell _you_ how to get past the enchantment then?" she asked trying to take her mind off his awful state.

"Oh, he did. I was just kind enough to knock." He replied smiling.

"Well thank you then. I fell out of bed when Sirius waltzed in screaming like a banshee. Have you heard from the others?"

"Yes, I have, Peter has the stomach flu and Frank has an interview at the Ministry. He was part of the first round of aurors accepted. The second round should be gathered any day now. Alice and Marlene are coming any minute though."

"Poor Peter, I hope he feels well soon. Now Frank's interview? It makes my head hurt thinking about having to find somewhere to work."

"Have you heard from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement yet?"

"No, I'm hoping I will soon enough though. Thank goodness they haven't gathered the second group yet or I'd know my chances were shot." She said nervously. She had no idea what she'd do with her life if she didn't become and auror.

"Don't worry," Remus paused, as Sirius was heard scream from the living room. He looked to Lily, but she already had her wand out and was rushing to the sound.

##########

"Are _sure_ this is a good idea?" Alice asked Marlene wearily as they stood outside the Potter's door.

"Of course I am, it'll be hilarious, I promise." She replied with a chuckle.

Marlene couldn't wait to see their faces after they walked in. There was of course the slim chance of being hexed, but Marlene suspected they'd be asleep still anyway. Her modified robes swished around her feet as she fidgeted nervously, playing it all out in her head.

Finally, she was prepared.

"Alice, be a doll and get rid of the enchantments will you?" she asked her friend beside her. She was answered with a sigh as Alice got to work doing all the standard procedures Lily had told her of.

The two quietly entered the nice home and were careful to remove their shoes so that they wouldn't make any extra noise. Marlene pulled the cowl of her robe up so that her face was hidden with shadows. Her grin grew as she muttered the incantation to modify her voice.

Alice snuck a look around the corner and saw both James and Sirius sleeping in the living room. She could hear voices and concluded that Lily and Remus were talking somewhere back in the house.

"They're right there." She nervously spoke to Marlene.

"Brilliant."

##########

Lily and Remus both ran into the living room after Sirius' scream to see James, Alice, and Marlene rolling on the ground laughing as Sirius scowled at them like a little boy.

"What happened? You scared me half to death!" Lily shouted. She grabbed the nearest pillow and whacked Sirius over the head with it multiple times as he cowered from her terror. "Sirius! You are an idiot! I thought you were hurt!"

"I'm fine! I'm fine! I'm fine!" he chanted after each time she hit him. Remus was now doubled over with laughter alongside the others at the spectacle.

"Lily!" Alice gasped between her guffaws. "I'm sorry, we just scared him!"

She agreed with Marlene at that point, it had been brilliant seeing his face after he saw Marley standing over him with that silly robe on. His eyes had grown wide as saucers and his hand snatched at his pocket only to find that his wand wasn't there. They weren't surprised that he ended up screaming.

"Scared me? I thought I was facing my death!" he exclaimed breathing deeply. Lily had finally stopped hitting him.

"I may or may not have modified my voice for a second and donned a black robe." Marlene giggled.

"Gosh, woman, what's wrong with you!" Sirius said rubbing his now sore head. Lily threw the pillow at Marlene causing her to tumble to the ground.

"Sorry, Sirius. I thought it was your fault." Lily said shrugging, not offering a very sincere apology.

"I got a full minute of head bashing and the real culprit gets the pillow _tossed_ at her? What happened to justice?"

"Sirius, you've never taken 'justice' into account before." Remus noted.

"Touché. Can we please just get out of here now?" he moaned ready to get on with their promised tour of Godric's Hollow.

Lily grinned widely, excited to show her friends her new home. It was a shame Frank couldn't be there but he could drop by anytime he'd like. It was wonderful that he had a job interview, but it made her worry about how she hadn't been offered her own yet. Frank was striving to be an auror just as the rest of them, but none of them had received any word of it.

Lily was quite lucky that James was so well off or they would have had to spend her honeymoon looking for a job to hold them over until they received word from the Ministry. If she so pleased she'd never have to work a day in her life actually. James had made that very clear and Lily suspected it was because he didn't truly want her to become an auror. She understood his worry, but nothing was going to get her to back out.

James had actually voiced his opinions to his mother one afternoon when he and Lily had gone to visit his parents. It started off well enough but enfolded into something entirely in Lily's favor. She remembered the conversation quite clearly and looked back on the moment with pride.

"Mum?" James had asked. "What do you think of us becoming aurors?"

"I think it's brilliant, Jamie, the program could use a few fresh-out-of-school recruits like you two. Goodness knows that place is about to go to the dogs."

"You don't think it's too…dangerous, do you?" Lily remembered scowling at that, knowing where he was going with it.

"Scared are you, Jamie?" Dorea had laughed.

"Not me, I'm just worried for…some of the other recruits."

"James, this is pathetic, stop trying to get your mother on your side!" Lily had exclaimed finally sick of it. She could hear the real meaning behind his words. "Other recruits" obviously meant her.

"Do you have some secret motive behind this, James? Just like your father, you are." Dorea had said shaking her head. Just then Mr. Potter walked in with a smile on his face.

"Talking about me, dear?"

"James here seems to think that Lily can't handle the Auror program."

"I never said that!" James had spoke defiantly.

"It sure was implied." Lily said with a roll of her eyes.

"Lily here is as tough as nails, you better face the facts and realize that she isn't backing down, boy." Charles spoke. That single sentence had left James in a state of defeat and he hadn't mentioned it sense.

Lily turned back to reality and found her friends and husband bickering as usual. She smiled fondly at some of their classic comments that always made her realize how much she loved them.

"Don't be such a girl, Padfoot." James was saying as he marched to the front door and flung it open.

"I've decided to take that offensively." Alice stated soon after.

"Way to be, Ali." Marlene exclaimed with a giant grin on her face as they all followed James out the door.

"I have no doubt this will be very boring, but hopefully I won't be wasting _too_ much of my Saturday." Sirius exclaimed as soon as they stepped foot outside.

"Shut your mouth, Black, this place is brilliant." Lily replied defensively after hitting him on the back of the head.

"Wow, Evans, you're sounding just like your fifth year self again."

"Well if you want me to apologize it isn't happening. Godric's Hallow is nothing less than amazing. It's my home."

The whole group smiled in response. All were happy that Lily found another thing to smile about. A place where she belonged would do her wonders.

##########

For the rest of the afternoon the group aimlessly strolled through Godric's Hallow laughing about stories of school and silly ideas that had popped into their heads. Lily went on and on about living next to Bathilda Bagshot while James couldn't stop talking about how their backyard was the perfect size for a Quidditch pitch.

Slowly, but steadily, the conversation turned a little more serious and a lot less laughable.

"Do you think we'll meet him again?" Alice had whispered during a spot of silence.

"Who?"

"Voldemort."

The group froze simultaneously but soon gained their bearings and continued walking. The sun suddenly seemed a little warmer making everything a little more uncomfortable.

"Yes." Lily finally answered after several minutes.

"How do you know?"

"Well I'm going to do all I can to stop him and I'd suspect that'd earn me a meeting or two. Knowing you guys you'll all be at my side."

"Of course we would." Marlene commented. A frown was pasted on her face at the dark turn the conversation had taken.

"What do you think it would take? You know, to stop him?" Sirius asked.

"It's terrifying really how invincible he seems." James replied not really answering the question. "How do you think he got that way; the red glowing eyes, half a nose, and balding head?"

"Dark magic, I'm guessing." Lily said as a shiver went up her spine. "We can do it though, Sirius…stop him. I just don't know how yet"

"Of course, if anyone could it would be the Marauders." Remus said with a small smile.

"Yes, he won't know what hit him. It's a shame we didn't inflict any real damage last time." Sirius said wistfully.

"I just wish we could take action sooner."

"The stupid Ministry hasn't even contacted me yet." Marlene spoke angrily.

At that moment two tawny owls flew towards the group. Each was carrying three letters from the very department at the Ministry that would get them their action. There was one for all of them. They all stood dumbstruck at how much of a coincidence it was. James, being the first open his, read the letter out loud for all of them to hear.

"_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_ Based upon your NEWT scores and application sent to The Department of Magical Law Enforcement you have been chosen to train for the position of "Auror" at the Ministry of Magic. You are part of the second group accepted. An orientation far more specific than the seminar held at the beginning of the month is to be held tomorrow at nine o'clock sharp._

_Head of Auror Department_

_Alastor Moody_"

All the letters read the same. They had been accepted

##########

**Okay so this chapter is leading up to a lot of action (which is probably obvious because it's so mellow). I hope you enjoyed the calmness of it all. I'm very excited to write about this orientation they have to go through too :). Please review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	8. Seminar at the Ministry

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"James? James? JAMES POTTER YOU BETTER LISTEN TO ME THIS INSTANT OR I WON'T LET SIRIUS IN THE HOUSE FOR THE NEXT WEEK!" Lily screeched down the hall to the bathroom where James was wrestling with his tie.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry Lils. What's the rush though? They're going to kick me out as soon as I step in! I know it because I can't tie this stupid neckpiece! Why do I even bother wearing ties anyway? Why does anyone! They're going to see that I'm not clever enough to tie my tie and then they're going to kick me out, I know it!"

"You're an idiot, you know that right?" she commented as she walked to him.

James frowned. She was right. He _was_ an idiot! Why had he even signed up to be an auror? Ever since they met him and Sirius had spoke of beating up bad guys and throwing them to Azkaban. The glamour was gone though. So why was he still doing it?

James knew that answer once he thought about it; he was doing it for Lily. He was doing it to keep his family safe.

"Gee, thanks." He mumbled after her comment.

Lily frowned alongside him and realized that she wasn't really helping. If there were a time to keep her anger in check it would be now when _both_ of them had frazzled nerves.

"I'm sorry, you know I don't mean it right? I'm really sorry James. Gosh, now I feel guilty." She pouted.

Suddenly Lily burst into hysterical laughter and James soon followed. The two sat there for at least five minutes laughing about seemingly nothing. Anyone who would have sawn would have thought them crazy.

They had reason for this abrupt laughter, however. You see, they were off to go to their first official Auror seminar. It was an introduction of sorts and the very next day they'd begin their training. An urge to do everything perfect had rolled through the two and their usual flustered emotions before important events were heightened with this new start in their lives.

"I'm really scared, James." Lily spoke as their laughter slowed. He looped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.

"I know…me too. I love you, Lily, you know that don't you?"

"Yeah, I love you too." She said resting her head on his shoulder.

He tilted her chin up to meet his eyes and she smiled warmly. They were still the same hazel she adored. His lips inched towards her and met her own in a slow kiss full of comfort. Sometimes Lily forgot how much she loved kissing him. He made her feel happy and for once she felt like the luckiest girl in the world. She pulled back slowly with a sigh, knowing they had to leave.

"Do you want me to help you?" she asked him motioning towards the tie. He nodded wearily and within minutes they were walking down the street, grasping each other's hands, and apparating into London.

##########

"Hey Moony? Moony? Moony, Moony, Moony, Moony, Moony!"

"_What_ Sirius?" Remus responded while burying his head deeper into his pillow.

The four of them had always talked about getting a flat together once they were out of Hogwarts, but Remus was starting to regret this decision. James wasn't there to mellow Sirius out any more meaning that the flat was always noisy and far too messy for him to handle. It didn't help that it was the day after the first full moon of the month either.

"Are you okay?"

Remus slowly sat up, wincing at the aches traveling up his spine and into his arms. He could swear he put enchantments around the room to make sure Sirius would leave him alone. Then again, he had probably forgotten out of fatigue. He finally responded to the question once he got situated.

"Quite frankly, no. Now let me sleep or I _will_ hex you."

"Aren't you coming?" Sirius asked, referring to the auror seminar.

"I don't think I'm capable of standing at the moment, so no, I'm not." He said downcast. "Besides, they're going to realize that I am what I am and I won't be able to go anyway."

"Hate to break it to you buddy, but I'm pretty sure they've already realized you're a werewolf."

"Knowing Moody though, he probably didn't even tell the head of his department! As soon as they figure it out I'm gone. I might as well just stay away from the job and spend my time trying to find one that would actually take me."

"Well that's stupid. If you really think they're going to sack you, you might as well earn as much cash as you can."

"You know what? I'm going to sleep, _you_ are going to go off to the seminar, Peter's going to start at the Department of Transportation, and we will discuss this later, deal?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just know that this isn't over." Sirius responded glaring at him. Remus rolled his eyes and fell back asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Sirius shook his head at his friend's misfortune. Moony had it tough, then again, he always had and if anyone knew how to handle problems, it was Moony. He walked out the front door and with a spin on his heel and a loud "POP" he was in London. Going through his head the whole time was, "Bring on the bad guys."

##########

"WE'RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD! THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ!"

"MARLEY! Stop screeching that song from that horribly inaccurate movie! I already have a headache." Alice screamed at her friend as she wandered around their flat looking for her shoes.

"Well, sorry. You should blame it on Lily; she's the one who made me watch that stupid movie in the first place!"

Alice actually remembered that night quite clearly. It was the summer before their seventh year and Lily insisted they have a party celebrating their great summer. They were the only ones were there because Lily wanted it to be just the three of them. This celebration consisted of giant ice cream sundaes with lots of whipped cream, popcorn fights, and a muggle movie marathon including the Wizard of Oz. Alice figured she remembered it so vividly because it was the last time she had seen Mr. and Mrs. Evans.

Alice's frown deepened as Marlene continued to bellow songs at random, switching between pitches randomly. Marlene really was a lovely singer, but she hid it behind all her extravagant silliness.

"I don't understand why you can't just get ready in silence!" she called out to her friend

"Sometimes beauty takes loudness."

"Oh really?"

"YES REALLY!" Marlene scream before running out of the bathroom and throwing her arms out. "See, I was loud, now I'm beautiful. It must be true." She said with a smirk.

"You're so full of yourself."

"Is it really such a crime?"

Alice shook her head and finished pulling on her now found shoes before actually taking in Marlene's appearance. She was glad to see that her friend was wearing much the same thing she was, comfortable slacks and a loose blouse. Alice was still confused as to what they would be wearing out on the field though. Obviously their current attire wouldn't quite do it.

"Reeeaddddyyyyy?" Marlene asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

They were gone from the flat within seconds as soon as they stepped into their apparation spot and tuned on their heel.

##########

"T-t-today is their first day…my lord."

"Excellent. Now tell me Pettigrew, do they…trust you?"

Peter cowered from the man in front of him. Voldemort's red eyes were unsettling and his pale skin sent a shiver up Peter's spine. It would all be worth it though. It would all be worth it when he finally gained his power. When he was finally raised over his famed friends.

"Y-yes, my lord. T-they have no clue that my allegiance lies with you."

"Well done, Pettigrew. You will be an asset in these coming days as long as your loyalties do not…stray."

"N-n-never, my lord."

Severus Snape stood back in the murky shadows, watching the scene before him. The Dark Lord had called for his presence during this first meeting with their newest recruit. The reason was quite clear. The Dark Lord never truly trusted the ones just joining the cause and Snape, having gone to school with those cursed Marauders, wouldn've have been able to pick out any lies Pettigrew were to plant.

This was a special case indeed. Peter Pettigrew was the only past Gryffindor who ever showed interest in their cause. It would take time before the Dark Lord would let him do so much as join a meeting. Snape could see the anger inside of him though. He could see the pain that Pettigrew thought was hate. Severus knew better, however. He knew that it took more than anger to hate. Anger was enough though, for the Dark Lord. It was easily harvested and more than brutal. Peter Pettigrew wasn't as dim witted as he had first thought.

Despite all of this that Snape saw, the real thought going through his head was much more important. It was the thought that he'd have to deflect anything Pettigrew told the Dark Lord about Lily. Her little circle of friends had been infiltrated and his vow of protecting her just became a little more important.

##########

"This will be _brutal_. You will go home everyday with an aching back and screaming bones. You will learn so many strategies your brain will hurt. You will likely be injured in the field and a third of the people in this room will die. CONSTANT VILIGENCE!"

The whole room jumped with the acceptation of James, Sirius, Lily, Alice and Marlene who merely rolled their eyes. They were used to Moody's loud voice and exaggerated methods of making people scared of him. The whizzing blue eye strapped to his head only enhanced his ability to make others fear him.

Their day at the Ministry had been interesting and they could tell Moody's speech was coming to an end. It was a good things though because the bright blue chairs they had to sit in were horribly uncomfortable and dug awkwardly in the spines of all sitting in them.

Sirius glanced around the room and snickered at the scared looks on all the others faces. Moody was intense, yes, but Sirius thought that deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep down Alastor Moody was nothing but a big teddy bear.

"BLACK! Wipe that smirk off your face, boy!" he shouted snapping Sirius out of his thoughts.

"Yes sir." Sirius responded with a mock salute. The class squirmed uncomfortably at the comment, preparing themselves for Moody's booming voice that would surely start yelling at Sirius any second.

They were shocked, however, to find that the booming voice didn't come. Moody merely shook his head with a look of disgust on his face and continued with his intimidation technique. It was then decided by most of the class that Sirius Black was a force to be reckoned with. Sirius though, merely sat there with a small smile etched onto his face. Big teddy bear indeed.

##########

"Did you see their faces?" Sirius exclaimed as they left the small room the seminar had been in. "They looked like the were about to wet themselves!"

One of the girls who had been in the room with them scowled deeply at him as she walked by, having heard all he said. She couldn't help but be offended at his comment.

"Sirius! Don't be mean!" Lily yelled smacking him on the arm.

"Gosh Sunshine, it was only the honest truth. Moody's brilliant."

"Heck yes he is, he scared the sense out of almost every person in that room." James said snickering.

"I still can't believe there were so few of us though." Alice noted with a small frown.

It was true. James, Sirius, Lily, Alice, and Marlene made up half the class. According to Frank there were two fewer in the seminar he had been to the day before. It was a bit unsettling really. Alice knew that there were of course older aurors that were still there, but didn't every little boy wish to be an auror when he got older? What happened to all of them?

"Well I understand why. I bet the program's been loosing recruits ever since Voldemort and his cronies appeared." James replied.

"Half of them won't show up tomorrow, I know it." Marlene said.

"You're just forgetting that we'll be the only half left at that point." Sirius put in.

"No, I don't think you guys are right. They were scared, yes, but they were determined. Only the ones who were truly committed would have shown up at all. They are as set on this as we are." Lily said intelligently.

James instantly agreed. She was right. The chickens were till at home wondering whether or not they made the right decision. These guys weren't backing out. It was nice to know that they weren't the only ones in the world who cared.

"You're right, Sunshine. Of course you are, you're _always_ right." Sirius said with a sigh.

"So who's ready for an aching back and screaming bones?" Marlene asked after several seconds of silence.

The group groaned. Moody was going to push them to their physical limits. It was nothing to look forwards to, but it was a start.

Just as they were all about to apparate back to Sirius' flat to keep Remus company while he was recovering, Moody came up behind them, as grim as ever.

"Burrow. Seven Days. Eleven." He then walked away with his wooden foot clanking with every step.

With a small smile on each other their faces they made their way to the apparation point, excited to tell Remus of the next meeting for the Order of the Phoenix.

##########

**I hope you liked all the different perspectives in this chapter! Please review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	9. Lots of Love

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"Greed."

"The dispute between pure-bloods and muggle borns."

"Too much power."

"Voldemort." Sirius said finally voicing what everyone had been thinking. Dumbledore was still impressed to this day with the bluntness Sirius sometimes carried.

"No." Lily spoke boldly soon after. The once noisy room became silent. "The reason the wizarding world is in this state is out inability to accept things the way they are."

"Well said, Lily." Dumbledore said with that comforting twinkle in his piercing blue eyes. She had finally caught on as he hoped she would.

The third meeting of the Order of the Phoenix was going quite swimmingly in his mind. There was nothing like a lively debate to get their minds moving. He had seen every possible answer they'd give before hand when he asked the group why their world was at war. Yes, all their answers were correct, but they only contributed towards the main reason.

Albus Dumbledore knew just how to get people to think. He was known for taking the much harder, more complicated way out of things and many questioned why. He was Dumbledore after all. The reasoning behind his methods was that the more challenging it was the more people were touched and the more they learned. The more they learned the better the future of all would be. Were his methods old fashioned? Of course they were because he was an old fashioned man.

"In order to fight for the side we stand for, I feel it is important for you to understand why we are fighting. Now expand on Lily's theory for me, someone."

"The world couldn't except that there are people who are born with magic without magical parents and there was nothing we can do to ever stop that." Sirius spoke.

Something with in him stirred as he thought of his parents and how despicable they were. He was more ashamed than ever to be related to them. It was becoming more and more often that a familiar family name would pop up in the Daily Prophet for murdering a muggle family or torturing muggle borns. It was sickening. Sirius turned back the group when James spoke up.

"The would didn't accept that muggleborns are sometimes five times the people they are." He added on looking fondly at Lily. She beamed back up at him as a surge of warmth flowed through her.

Albus smiled at the two before him. They were special, he could tell by just looking at them. The bond the two shared was incredible really. Having been through thick and thin he was almost positive they were the most perfect couple he had ever seen. Did he foresee this in their earlier years causing him to make them both Heads? Maybe, but he didn't like to talk about that.

Part of his old fashioned-ness was his believe that love could conquer everything. Love was a long forgotten magic that he wished more knew the power of. So much good could be done in the world if such was the case. There would of course always be the evil, but love easily balanced out the scales. Lily and James Potter might not know that power just yet, but in their shining moment, they would understand it more completely then anyone else. He could just tell.

"How can we fix this problem?" he asked once the room had thought of James and Sirius' answers.

Everything grew silent for several moments and Dumbledore knew that every one of them was thinking very hard. Their minds were searching for the answer that so many wanted to know. He also knew that many of them joined the Order expecting to be rounding up death eaters every weekend. That was an auror's job however. It was the background work that they needed to deal with, the stuff the Ministry didn't see.

"We need to protect those who are in danger." A voice spoke. He lifted his head to see that the words had come from Alice Prewett who seldom voiced her opinions in meetings.

Albus knew that Alice was very intelligent, her scores throughout school told him that. He also knew that she had a stronger level of common sense then most and that was to be a gratified skill. Everyone had something that eventually clouded his or her judgment. He thought it was almost his job to know what that something was in everyone so he could help them with it. Lily's was her temper, James' was his intense love for his family and friends, Sirius his want for revenge, Marlene's extremely wishful thinking, and Remus' shame that he carried. Albus even had something that held _himself_ back from common sense, but it had been a very long time since this particular thing had come into his mind. Yes, Alice Prewett had very little holding herself back from logic.

"Yes, Alice, correct. That is only part one, however. Part two anyone?" He wasn't surprised when no one spoke up. "Part two is being a step ahead of them at all times. I believe there is only one way to do this. Scouting missions. We will send four members of the Order out at a time to gather information for our cause."

The silence in the room was a bit unnerving and Albus almost felt guilt at the look on Lily Potter's face. She appeared to be horrified and he knew why just by glancing into those emerald eyes of hers. Lily knew Occlumency, he knew. He also knew that she had used it against Lord Voldemort himself and succeeded. In that moments though she was an open book. She knew he was going to ask for volunteers and she knew just who was going to step up to the plate. Her eyes seemed to be begging him to take a different alternative, but there was nothing else he could do, it was for the best. He sighed, but finally said the thing she had been dreading.

"Volunteers?"

James Potter and Sirius Black instantly stepped forward with a fierce look of determination on each of their faces.

##########

Marlene only stared at James and Sirius in shock. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be. It was only the first mission! They didn't know what they were doing! She saw the look on Lily's face and almost wanted to cry for her friend. Heck, she wanted to cry for herself!

For just a second Marlene felt that she could fix this, if even only a little. Just as she was about to step forward to volunteer herself for the third spot, Fabian and Gideon Prewitt stepped forward. Dumbledore had his four. Marlene looked to Molly Weasley and saw the women with a concerned expression. Of course, Molly really didn't have to worry that much. Fabian and Gideon _were_ trained aurors. James and Sirius on the other hand had only been in training for less than a week! It was a recipe for disaster. Marlene just stood there with a stunned expression no her face for who knows how long.

"Marley?" she turned to see Sirius standing beside her.

"Y-yes?"

"I'm sorry…I had to do it."

"Why?"

"I need to be strong, Marlene. I need to convince myself that I can do this."

She stared into those familiar silver eyes of his and something inside of her softened at the desperate look that told her he really wanted her to understand. She noticed then that his shaggy hair was longer than she had seen it before; an inch or so below his ears. It suited him and she didn't have a second though about brushing a stray strand away from his face.

Marlene remembered harboring a secret crush on him in her Hogwarts years and she didn't know what to think of it anymore. Images of random kids he had hexed or people he had been less than kind to flashed before her eyes. Then she remembered how he had saved Lily in their seventh year. He had stuck by her while Marlene, Lily's best friend since their first year, stood by and watched as she suffered.

Marlene knew she loved Sirius. She also loved James, Lily, Alice, Remus, Frank, and even Peter despite the small part he played in their group. There was a distinction between how she loved Sirius though, and it scared her. She was supposed to be the strong and fiery feminist who could always say no to the man. She finally said what she had been thinking for so long now.

"Sirius, you're the most amazing person I've ever met."

He smiled at her so warmly that her insides almost melted and butterflies flew around her tummy. She was soon pulled into his embrace, her head resting against his shoulder and her arms around his neck. She relished the feel of his head buried into her hair and the tight grip he had around her waist.

"Don't die, Sirius. Please don't die." She whispered into his familiar leather jacket. Peppermint toothpaste and motor oil wafted off it just as always.

"I won't leave you Marlene, no matter what happens. I'll always be there whether I'm at your side or not.

"I'm taking that as a promise."

He nodded against her and grudgingly pulled away. He pressed a soft, loving kiss upon her forehead and while she stared into those eyes, she knew it would all be okay.

##########

"They're gone, Remus, they're gone!" Lily exclaimed after unceremoniously flinging the door to the shared flat open.

She was a mess. Her hair was a rat's nest from the number of times she had pulled at it and braided tiny strands while she had been convincing James not to go. Bags were under her eyes from the little amount of sleep she had gotten and Lily felt as if she were about to collapse.

It was all for nothing. They had left anyway. Despite all her pleading and begging the two had left anyway along with the Prewitt brothers. How could they do this to her? They had absolutely no experience; they could have at least waited until they had finished auror training!

"We'll be just fine, Lily, I need this!" James had said.

"So you don't need me?" She had said almost to tears…almost.

"No, Lily, that's not what I mean. You're twisting my words around. I love you so much and that's why I'm doing this. I'm doing this so that we can grow old together in a better world!"

"Well what if I like our world right now?"

"Don't lie to yourself, Lily, don't do that."

"I thought we were doing this together?"

"We are, Sirius and I are just starting a bit early."

"I don't think I like early." She spoke in an almost whisper while wiping angrily at her eyes.

"I know." He said grasping her hand in his large one. A trickle of warmth and comfort went through her at the small notion.

"Is it okay for me to say I'm scared again?" She asked searching his hazel eyes for the answer.

"You'd be crazy if you didn't, but let me tell you a secret." He said looking at her frowning slightly.

Before she really understood what was happening he pulled her close to him swiftly and he leaned down so his lips were level with her ear.

"I'm scared too." He whispered.

"I love you…a lot. Am I…selfish…for not wanting you to go?" she whispered back worried for the answer

"No, you're human, Lily. I love you too; I've loved you since that first day I saw you on Platform 9 ¾ looking at that brick wall like you'd die if you tried to run through it. You did though, and that's what started _us_."

Lily nodded and squeezed him closer before finally pulling back. Her frown deepened at the sheer determination that shone through him like a lighthouse. He was far too noble for his own good, all four of them were.

She looked over James' shoulder to see Sirius walking towards them after talking with Marlene.

"Sunshine, Prongs and I are going to wither away if we don't get some adventure in our lives soon." He had said with a half grin. She slugged him hard in the arm.

"Don't you joke with me, Sirius Black." He practically shivered under her icy cold glare.

"Lily, we'll be back soon enough, we'll be fine." James spoke tilting her chin up with his callused hand.

"You promise? Both of you?"

"We promise, Sunshine." Sirius said carefully. She could tell that he meant it.

An ugly feeling had settled in the bottom of her stomach despite their promise, however. She knew James, Sirius, Fabian, and Gideon were all more than capable, but quite frankly, there were stupid sometimes. They were the pranksters who were sure to make some sort of joke out of this. It would cost them direly if they took it too far.

##########

Remus' head shot up once he heard Lily's cry. It was not the most peaceful awakening to a nap after a very long day. He told himself not to panic, but he couldn't help but think the worst. He hadn't been unable to go to this particular meeting because Dumbledore had asked him to do some research regarding dark creatures and the amounts loyal to Lord Voldemort.

Before long he had jumped out of bed and rushed into the living room where Lily was standing with her hands over her eyes kneeling on the carpet. He bent down next to her and laid a steady hand on her back. He almost toppled over when she quickly turned and threw her arms around his neck, burying her head into his shoulder in the process. He adjusted his position so that Lily was sitting in his lap and he was no longer crouching.

"Lily? Did something happen?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm sorry…t-they're fine…I just needed a hug." She said still set on not bursting into tears.

"Where are they?"

"Dumbledore asked volunteers for a mission…both of them are gone, off to Scotland."

He frowned, understanding the dilemma. The fools were going to get themselves hurt; he knew it. Not for a second, however, did he doubt that they were coming back. They were going to come back all right; he just knew that they'd do it in style, which meant almost loosing an arm and leg along the way.

"Lets talk about something else." He soon spoke. Lily nodded, still burrowed into his shoulder. He could finally smell that strawberry shampoo James was always raving about.

"Okay." She muttered.

"How about we have one of those muggle movie marathons you and James are always having? We can go grab a bunch from your house along with a couple sleeping bags and camp out in front of the TV. We can pick up Marlene, Alice, and Frank up along the way."

"What about Peter."

"He's off visiting his mother, she's always been sickly."

Lily frowned at the small amount of time she ever saw Peter lately. They had never really been that great of friends as she had always been a bit scared of him for some reason, but it was really quite strange how distant he was becoming. She shook the thought from her head and realized how much a night of not worrying with almost all the people she loved sounded like the best medicine for all of them.

"I like that idea a lot, Remus." Lily soon concluded.

He grinned weakly, the two left the flat, and apparated to gather those who they needed support from. All they wanted was to forget if only for a night. It was going to be a very long week

##########

**Please tell me what you think of Dumbledore's view! I really enjoyed writing this chapter because I felt there was a lot of love circling it. I love my characters so much at this point and it hurts me to put them through such pain, but things are only going to hear up from here. In this chapter you caught a little glimpse at the beginning of a plot line too. Please review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	10. The Daily Prophet

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**###########**

"_Today tragedy struck in Diagon Alley. The wizarding world is buzzing with shock at the happenings I am sure all will wish to know about. Followers of You-Know-Who, said to be known as 'death eaters', apparated into the streets of our favorite shopping spot armed with a distinguishable purpose in mind. They were also armed with a new weapon; a muggle-born tracking charm. This is specifically the type of spell looked down on in the Ministry. It seems that their struggle for equality isn't going as swimmingly as they want us to think._

_This spell pointed out a dozen different citizens all of whom were murdered along with a single emergency auror who jumped heroically in front of a killing curse to save the life of a little boy. It was reported that her green eyes sparkled with unshed tears as the spell hit her and she fell to the ground. All loved this brave person and her death, along with those of the muggle-borns, will be greatly mourned._

_During this I was of course at my home thinking it would be another perfectly normal day. How very wrong I was I only realize now. If only I had been at the scene to snap some action shots to show to the world._

_In the hassle another dozen shoppers got seriously injured along with the majority of the auror team and sent to St Mungo's. All are predicted to make full recovery. I send my deepest wishes of well being out to those poor souls who will be stuck lying in a white hospital bed for the next few weeks_

_This event points out several pressing questions, however. Should muggle-borns be kept off the street? Is there involvement risking the safety of our children? What course of action should be taken? I'm Rita Skeeter, the newest reporter for the Daily Prophet and what you think is important to me._"

James finished reading the afternoon's daily prophet and almost choked. Brave emergency auror jumping in front of a killing cures for a little boy? She had green eyes? Lily was an emergency auror. Lily was also very brave. She was a Gryffindor through and through after all. His eyes began prickling uncomfortably as he continued to stare down at the thin sheet of newspaper in front of him. The one newspaper article he chose to read all week was the one that almost made him believe his wife was dead.

She couldn't be though…could she? Somehow he thought that he'd feel if anything had happened to. He quickly realized that he was being silly, how could he? They were hundreds of miles away after all.

The mission had been going brilliantly. The four had already gathered a list of new recruits to Voldemort's cause along with several dates of meetings scheduled. While they did not yet know where Voldemort was being moved; they had been close to figuring it out. Spirits were high…until James read that cursed paper.

##########

Sirius came out from the dingy bathroom looking tired with purple bags underneath his eyes and his hair messier than it had ever been before. He was still whistling happily, however, and his grey eyes were filled with contentment. He was doing what he had wanted to do all his life after all; go on secret spy mission to defeat bad guys.

Somehow he wished that he could be in the action. Being in the back lines wasn't very fun. It was a start though. He thought that if he did enough little missions that he'd eventually be chosen for the big stuff. It was barely something to hold onto though. Dumbledore had his crazy ways of making everything turn out all right though so Sirius would be willing to settle with the best he was given.

Sirius paused and noticed the lack of rambunctious laughter and loud footsteps. Fabian and Gideon had gone out to get some food so the house seemed silent. Even so, it was strange that James wasn't making any noise either. As far as Sirius known James had stayed at the small abandoned flat they had been using for the mission.

With the purpose of finding his friend, Sirius walked though the small rooms that filled the old dingy house. The smell of must was almost overwhelming and made him feel the urge to sneeze constantly. James was nowhere to be found so the last place to look was the kitchen, which Sirius knew he should have probably looked in first.

Just as he thought, James was sitting on the fragile table in the middle of the room looking just as worn as he was. The only problem was that he didn't share Sirius' smile. Instead he saw a distressed and confused look on James' face and the way he was speechless. A copy of the Daily Prophet lay before him and Sirius quickly skimmed over the page and his face went pale.

"No jumping to conclusions, James." He warned with a shaky voice.

"You have no idea how hard I'm trying." James murmured placing his face in his hands.

They needed to focus. A newspaper article couldn't mess up the two of them. They weren't even supposed to be connected to the outside world. Distractions would break all their progress.

"It's not her…it's not them…they would have told us." Sirius said shaking his head.

"What part of 'no connection to the outside world' don't you understand?"

"But Dumbledore…he would have…" Sirius paused. He might not have.

"Sit down already, Sirius." James said motioning to the chair beside him. "I just need to think a moment."

"Yeah…think…that's a good idea."

"The mirrors?" James asked hopefully referring to the mirror he and Sirius owned. A small shred of him hoped that he had left one with Lily.

"Both with us, mate." Sirius said rather downcast.

"Floo network?"

"We can't even use it for emergencies."

"Any way of contacting her?"

"No…unless you do it the muggle way. We'd be home before she got it anyway."

"What do we do?" James asked one last time while searching for some shred of hope.

"We can only wait until we get home."

The two remained silent until Fabian and Gideon waltzed into the kitchen with large grins on their faces. Fabian's smile faltered at the sight of the two boys sitting at the table looking distressed. Gideon, however, was oblivious to the looks of worry on their faces.

"Convinced some girl at that pastry shop down the street to give us some free food!" he exclaimed happily. His expression fell when he realized how quiet the room was. Fabian was already reading the article on the table and a murky cloud of darkness seemed to hang over the area.

"Green eyes?" Fabian muttered.

There were still four days left of the mission. All they could do was wait and hope for the best.

##########

Albus Dumbledore looked over the patients in the beds at St Mungo's Hospital. Each was bearing their own nasty injury, but all would be well. His hear ached for those who had died in the battle. The good people in their world were slowly being exterminated, almost literally. That was Tom's plan after all, wasn't it, to rid the world of all those below him? It was almost humorous coming from a man who was a half-blood himself too.

Dumbledore knew that Tom Riddle had his reasons though. The boy's family had a rather dark history besides. That was no reason, however, to turn dark as well. Sirius Black was the prime example of that. Despite his upbringing and the history of him family he still chose his own path. He chose what _he _wanted and not those around him wanted for him. Sometimes our own judgment was the very best. After all, wasn't that what a conscience was for?

He glanced to the bedside table of the poor girl he was standing beside and anger pulsing within him at the newspaper lying there. He controlled it quickly as he had learned to though. Anger was often the carrier of a murky mind and that was something someone like him should never have. The newspaper contained an article written by Rita Skeeter. _Should muggle-borns be taken off the streets?_ What a stupid question. It was a question asked by people who ignorant to how things really worked. What did she expect them to do? Never leave their homes? Not run errands in an area specifically created for that purpose?

He remembered Rita Skeeter with her bleach blonde curls and ruby red lipstick he could spot from his seat at the head table during dinner at Hogwarts. She had just graduated the year before and was known for the gossip she was constantly spreading. If he recalled correctly, there weren't many who particularly liked her. Nevertheless, she could have done so much better than a news reporter. He couldn't help but thinking how well she would have done in the Order. Then again, everyone had desired traits.

He took one last look at the patients before turning out of the room to leave. An image, however, flickered into his mind as he stepped out of the room. Four of his own were on a mission and they surely heard of this terrible incident. For a moment he considered owling them what had happened because he knew it would be amazingly important to them. Once he thought about it a second time though, he decided that they'd just have to learn patience and discover all that had come of this tragic event when they returned home.

##########

**That Morning**

"It's so quiet without Sirius making some hardly laughable comment that he thinks is hilarious." Marlene noted as they stepped into the Auror Office at the Ministry. She yawned. Not excited to be at work. It was _already_ worse than school. All she wanted was to get out into the field.

"I don't know if I should be relieved or disappointed…" Remus replied obviously confused.

"I'm stuck in-between, I guess." Alice said sighing.

"How many more days again?" Marlene asked.

"Four."

"Four more days of peace along with four more days of torture." Alice spoke.

Lily merely shook her head with a small smile and led them to the debriefing room. Her small smiled turned to a slight frown when she saw several training aurors dueling in the enclosed action room that neighbored their destination. The official time the training program was supposed to last was three years. It had been lowered to three months. The world was running out of fighters and the faster the ones they had left were ready, the better.

"Concealment and disguise." Moody spoke once everyone was settled. His good eye lingered over James and Sirius' empty chairs momentarily before turning back towards the room. "This is one of the most important things we will be learning. If your enemy doesn't know you are you the chances you'll make it out with all your limbs attached is considerably better."

Lily felt a bit lost when she didn't hear the usual snicker from Sirius and James. She looked at the others around her and could tell they were thinking the very same thing. Sometimes her friends were so predictable it was funny. Without them there, however, you thought they were going to do something, but then you realize they weren't even beside you.

"Pair up, work on disillusionment charms first. You better get so good that I don't see a single hair on your heads."

Lily met Remus' eye and the two nodded in agreement that they would be together. They stood and journeyed to a small corner in the room. Alice and Marlene weren't particularly good at charms and they'd rather not risk being stuck as with skin like a chameleon's forever.

Marlene and Alice, however, found no problem with working with each other. Alice, still, wished Frank was there though. She had to keep reminding herself that they'd be working together soon enough. As soon as their training was over they could be together. Alice then thought the same things Lily had minutes before. Three months wasn't a very long time at all, not when you were training to fight a war that was sure to be brutal.

"Ready to get started?" she asked her friend.

"Heck yes!" Marlene exclaimed, trying to be enthusiastic.

"I don't understand why you're so excited." Alice said shaking her head.

"Obviously my sarcasm failed…I'll work on it."

"Good idea."

"We're stalling." Marlene commented.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Pretty much."

"Dang it." Alice said with her own sarcasm.

"We might as well take as long as we can."

"How long do you think that will be?"

"Until Moody catches us purposely stalling." Marlene said frowning. It should be any minute then.

The two were quiet for several more moments but soon Marlene could feel Moody's eye (eyes?) on them. If they didn't want to get yelled at the both of them knew that they had better start.

"Do you want to go first?" Alice asked hopefully. Marlene merely smirked and shook her head.

With as sigh, Alice walked to Marlene and tapped her wand upon the girl's head while muttering the enchantment. She did the same to herself and shivered at the feeling of an egg being cracked over her head. Alice looked back to Marlene to observe her handiwork. It wasn't half bad. Marlene's outline was a bit more obvious then it should be and Alice could almost still see her eyes, but it was better than anything she had done before.

"Ready to test your skills, Ali?" Marlene.

She could just make out the larger part of Marlene's mischievous grin. Alice found that her friend had been trying to make up for Sirius' usual jokes and pranks herself while he was gone. Alice thought it was cute that Marley missed the boy so much that she'd been acting more and more like him to make up for it.

"How?" she asked skeptically.

Marlene merely took several slow steps towards the corner Remus and Lily were in. The two hadn't started yet and were merely talking. Alice watched as Marley snuck up beside them in an attempt to scare the two. She watched as Remus turned to face the girl just before she was about to jump at him. He smirked at Marlene's failed attempt.

"You might want to try a bit harder, Alice!" he shouted across the room to her.

"I'd like to see you do better!" she yelled back.

"Deal." Remus said smiling widely.

He turned to Lily and tapped his wand on her head while muttering the charm. She knew it. He did do it better and Lily was almost invisible. She grinned and shook her head. It was going to be a long day and stalling could no longer help them.

##########

**An hour later**

"Not bad, Evans." Moody spoke gruffly as he looked at her hundredth attempt at the charm.

"Is there anything I could _specifically_ improve on?" Lily asked really wanting to know the answer.

"Just keep trying, you'll get it…eventually." He said frowning at her.

Lily sighed. What was she doing wrong! A whole hour. They had been working on those charms for a whole hour. It was torture at its weakest, but torture nonetheless. Her hand was cramping up from doing the spell so many times. The worst part was that all she had gotten was a 'not bad' from Moody. Remus was practically invisible! She didn't even know where he was standing any more! She watched on angrily as Moody walked off to criticize another pair.

"Remus? Where are you." She spoke tiredly. He un-did the spell and appeared before her looking just as annoyed.

"I swear if I have that spell cast on my one more time I won't be able to get it off." He said rubbing his eyes.

"I hate this so much." Lily groaned.

"Hate's a strong word." He automatically said as he had so many times to James and Sirius.

"Not strong enough for this." She said smirking.

"Maybe we'll just have to come up with our own word!" Remus exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air.

"It's a plan." Lily said nodding. They were silent for a few seconds. "My brain hurts, lets just stick with hate."

"Deal." Remus replied quickly.

Soon he was laughing out of tiredness, the want to just go home, and the total randomness of the whole situation. Sometimes people said some weird things when they were about to fall asleep standing. Lily joined in and soon to two were out of breath. Laughing felt oh so good and was almost like a wake-up call.

"Ah, my stomach hurts now." She said with a giggle.

"Mood swings…" Remus said shaking his head, "No offence, Lily, but I feel like such a girl right now."

"I'm going to take Marlene's response. 'I choose to take offense to that'" she said with another small laugh.

Suddenly, a blaring alarm echoed across the room with red lights flashing in its wake. The sound was ear splintering and would make all who heard it hear ringing for the next week. Everyone froze, confused as to what it was. A voice, most likely magically amplified from another room somewhere within the Ministry, filled the room moments later.

"ALL AVALIABLE AURORS TO DIAGON ALLEY. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. TRAINEES INCLUDED." This sounded across the room three times before the blaring lights shut off and the flashing stopped.

Pure silence engulfed them. Lily's eyes met Marlene's across the room and her friend looked just as scared as she was. Confusion traveled through her mind. Why? What was happening in Diagon Alley that they need to the trainees too? Her tiredness and vanished all too quickly and adrenaline replaced it.

"To the apparation point." Moody spoke soon after. Everyone was frozen. "NOW!" he yelled making them jump. "THIS ISN'T A JOKE, KIDS!"

The room exploded in a furry of action everyone moved towards the door as one, trying to get to the apparation point. This was what they had been waiting for. This was their action.

##########

**A glimpse at the mission, Dumbledore, and Auror Training all in one! I hope you enjoyed it. Next time will be the fight in Diagon Alley and the reunion of everyone. Sorry for grammar mistakes. If you see any biggies please point them out for me. Please review too!**

**-Sweets5236**


	11. The Fight Begins

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

Chaos was the ruling factor as soon as Lily apparated to Diagon Alley with the aurors. People were everywhere. They were running, screaming, crying; yet none of them were apparating. Lily spun on her foot in a test and found that she couldn't apparate out of the area. That was very bad.

If the apparation was down it was more than likely that the floor network along with the brick entrance were also down. No escape. The panic made sense now, death eaters were the cause of this, and she could feel it. She could also feel that they were in the very center off all the commotion. Several questions burned deep within her. One of which were why the death eaters had gone to Diagon Alley in the first place. They were far too successful to have come merely to terrify people; they had done enough of that. They were ahead of the rest of the world, the only reason they could be in Diagon Alley was because they were looking for something; or someone.

Lily froze. It was scary really how easily she could guess what Voldemort's motives may or may not be. She concluded that it came from being tortured by him for a whole seven days. He didn't mean for her to escape, not at all. His tongue had been relatively loose, thus being said. Then again, he had never divulged anything important at all really.

"CONSTANT VILLIGENCE!" she heard Moody yell before the crowd engulfed him. This snapped her out of her thoughts.

Her instincts quickly took over and she dashed to what seemed to be the center of the commotion. As she weaved expertly in and out of people a strong hand grasped her upper arm. She stifled a scream and spun around, fully prepared to blast the person in the face. This was not the time for some idiot to think that he could capture her.

She let out a breath of relief when she saw that it was Remus. The relief was brought from the obvious fact that he was not at death eater, but also because she needed someone to have her back. It would be easily to get disoriented in a crowd like the one they were stuck in.

His amber eyes were filled to the brim with worry and sheer determination. She was glad to know that he was in zone as she was. Another little bit of worry disappeared in an instant.

"James…and Sirius…would kill me if anything happened to you. Let's just establish now that I'm not letting you out of my sight." He said almost daring her to disagree.

"Deal." She spoke quickly.

Remus almost appeared shocked and Lily wasn't surprised. She was more of the person to do things on her own when it came to the action. She didn't like being babysat. Her seventh year had been the only exception it seemed and she was _still_ ashamed of how she had acted. She had been eighteen for goodness sakes! She was an adult not only in the wizarding world, but in the muggle world too.

Lily pushed all the revulsion at her previous actions away, however, because they had much more important things to do.

"What's happening?" she asked Remus as the people moved around them. She didn't know why he'd have anymore of a clue then she did, but it was worth a shot.

"I can only guess, did you notice the," he started before Lily cut him off.

"The apparation block? Yeah."

"The only thing we can really do now is found the source of the action."

"Alice and Marlene?"

"I was planning on grabbing them too, but I could only keep track of one person at a time." He said with a frown etched onto his face.

"Ready?" she asked.

"A ready as I'll ever be." He responded. She nodded and the two continued to struggle through the crowd, desperately wanting to stop all the commotion.

##########

"Where did Remus and Lily go?" Alice asked Marlene, genuinely worried.

"I don't know, we don't have time to focus on that though." Marlene replied while scanning over the crowd. "They're together though, I saw Remus run after her."

"At least there's that one small comfort."

They needed to stick together as much as they could. If all four of them couldn't be by each other's side at least they could be in twos. Frank was out there though. He probably didn't trust anyone enough to stick with them and there'd be no way she and Marlene could find him. They simply didn't have the time or the resources.

Now would be the very worst time Frank could get hurt though. After all, something big was going to happen to the two of them in merely a month! If he got hurt now she would have the weight of just being short of getting all she wanted, only to have it all taken away from her in a single day. She hadn't even told Marlene or Lily yet, which was saying a lot.

"What first do you think?" Marlene asked her. Alice felt guilt seep through her at the thought of what she hadn't told Marlene.

"Knowing that Lily and Remus will be running into the fight headfirst, those stupid Gryffindors, I'd say we should try to calm everyone down." Alice said wincing as someone stepped on her foot.

"Hate to break it to you Ali, but we were Gryffindors too." Marlene said with a smirk,

"That might be a bit difficult without drawing attention to ourselves though. Apparation must be down too."

"They need to get in one place then, stop panicking."

"Shield charm?"

"Sounds easiest."

"Pick your corner." Marlene said looking around for a spot to gather everyone.

"First step is to out an undetectable extension charm on one of the buildings."

"Well let's find a building then."

The two glanced around them worriedly one last time before dashing off, hand in hand as to not loose the other, to find a suitable building for their needs. The noise was ear splintering and was sure to leave them half deaf for weeks. Everyone there was searching for an escape; the only problem was that there was none.

Before long the two girls were out of breath. They hadn't exactly started the conditioning section of their auror training and were far more out of shape then they'd ever like to admit. All the stores they came across seemed far too packed with sellable items for them to decently do the charm on. Anyone who was amazing at charms would have been just fine with any of the shops, but those who merely passed at the subject like Alice and Marlene needed a relatively empty building. The two knew that they were running out of time.

"Oh my gosh." Marlene spoke looking shocked.

"What?" Alice said, thinking something was wrong.

"Gringotts! Why didn't we think of Gringotts!"

"You don't think that the death eaters came here to steal money, do you?" Alice asked hesitantly.

"Of course not, I bet Voldemort's richer than even James' family."

"Then yeah…that'll work. That'll work great actually, why didn't we think of it earlier!" Alice exclaimed getting excited that they finally found an answer.

"Who knows? Maybe we become idiots on adrenaline!" Marlene spoke throwing her hands into the air.

"Well let's go do it then!" Alice spoke while urging Marlene from her spot. Soon the two were running to the wizard's bank, the perfect place for their plan.

##########

A Lily stepped onto the scene she could feel the magic pulsing around her, tugging and pulling at her insides making her queasy. Her mind flashed to that awful New Year's night, but she quickly shook it out of her head. It wouldn't come to that because she wouldn't let it. She was stronger now. She was over it.

Nevertheless, jinxing the death eaters in front of her who were battling in front of several of her fellow trainees never felt so good. Knowing that she wasn't alone was definitely a plus and brought her confidence level significantly higher. She glanced around and almost laughed at how defined the circle around them was. The scurrying people seemed to be running around that specific area though there was nothing making them do so. Lily filled with pride at the sight of several witches and wizards battling that weren't part of the auror program. It was good to know that there were more people in the world willing to be heroes.

She looked to her side and saw that Remus could feel the magic too. The reflections of the flashing spells bounced off his face, lighting him with reds and blues. She nodded to him quickly, letting him know that she'd stay close, and threw a hex at the nearest man cloaked in black.

Everything came in a flash after that. Engulfing herself in the battle was easy; it was dodging all the curses that was bit more difficult. Her side ached throughout it all however. The battle was bringing back old memories that made the pain she once felt along the cut turned scar on her ribcage return.

It was months ago that Lily had discovered the pain that sometimes spread through her ribcage. It wasn't before long that she figured out why too. The memory was etched into her mind actually.

The days had been normal enough; it was during James and Lily's honeymoon period that Sirius had "graciously" granted them. Lily had been cleaning the house up out of boredom. Fluffing the pillows, doing some laundry, starting lunch, when James had walked down the stairs in his pajamas. His hair was ruffled and his glasses crooked on his nose. He was adorable. It reminded Lily of many mornings at in their head dorms when he had come out of his room looking exactly the same.

As soon as Lily had made the connected her side felt like it was being split open and she collapsed to her knees, clutching at it while squeezing her hand to her side, trying to apply pressure to the wound that seemed to have suddenly appeared.

Of course, James trying to be the knight in shining armor rushed to her side and instantly lifted her to her feet before rushing her to a nearby chair.

"Lily? Lils, what's wrong?" he had spoke quickly, worry evident on his face. Lily grimaced as the pain _slowly_ subsided. She was left with a dull ache across her ribs.

As soon as she could unclench her teeth and open her eyes Lily lifted the hem of her shirt to see her usually pale scare angry and red as if it was newly healing. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. The scar had been healed for months; it definitely hadn't been normal.

"W-what?" James stuttered as he gazed at it.

"I don't know." She spoke running her finger carefully along the line.

"Are you okay?" he had asked looking up at her with concern.

"I'm fine." She said frowning. And she was. The ache had even disappeared in a matter of seconds.

Lily didn't realize what it was however until two days after when it happened again. That time around she had waked from a dream about the battle in Hogsmeade and it was so much worse that she had actually cried out, causing James to sit up rapidly and whip his wand out. The two had sat awake for the rest of the night talking about it and Lily decided that the pain must come from particularly vivid memories from her seventh year.

"It's dark magic, that's what it is." James had said placing a hand over her own that was resting on the scar.

"I'm just going to have to live with it."

"It's not going to open again, I can tell." He said removing her hand to look at it again.

"I know; it could all be in my mind really."

"I don't think so. I just think that the curse wasn't meant to leave anyone alive. I'm sure the person who invented it didn't think of the after."

That had made Lily guilty because she had never told James that Severus had been the creator of the curse. She wasn't going to though. Who knew what he would do to her old friend if she did. It was better for the both of them.

Over the next few weeks it happened time and time again and Lily soon grew used to it. She merely had to clench her teeth and blink the tears out of her eyes and she could continue on with what she was doing. In that battle, however, she was scared that fighting that pain of while fighting a death eater would be a little bit trickier.

Lily still shot spell after spell. Despite her efforts it seemed that the number of death eaters would never go down. Someone needed to clear the pedestrians out so that the aurors could actually see how many they had to fight.

##########

Luckily at that very moment Alice and Marlene had cast the extension charm upon Gringotts with the permission of the head goblin. It had taken far more persuading then they had anticipated for the goblins wanted nothing more than it stay out of the brewing war. In the end the creatures figured that Alice and Marlene wouldn't be leaving anytime soon so they gave in.

The manner in which they gathered the crowd was like the telephone game that Alice sometimes played with her muggle cousins. She started by whispering their soon to be protected spot into the ear of one women and told her to pass the message on to at least two others. It had worked. Many bystanders were taking action in the fight, but the ones with small children were rushing to the bank, hoping to wait out the battle. Once as the two girls had gathered as many people as they thought necessary they cast all the protective charms they knew over the place and with the help of several witches and wizards they cast a giant, but simple, shield charm over it all.

The only thing left that they could do was hope that it was enough and join the battle and fight. Little did they know that their actions were the answers to the auror's prayers and saved dozens of lives.

Before very long Marlene and Alice had spotted Lily and Remus battling back to back and joined in to form a little four way huddle facing out. The damage they did alone was immense, but the figures in black were far more than they had anticipated.

"How many more?" Marlene yelled over the spell shouting.

"Too many, we aren't going to last much longer." Remus responded after hitting a particularly tall death eater in the head with a stunner.

His words rung true. Marlene and Alice may have only been fighting for a few minutes, but the others had been going far longer. The bruises, scratches, broken bones and other injuries were becoming more and more. Resolve was going down and they still didn't know why the death eaters were there.

"He's doing it again." Lily muttered.

It had hit her. It became obvious so suddenly that she couldn't believe that she hadn't thought of it earlier. It was all a game after all. Dumbledore had described the reason why Voldemort had taken her as soon as she was well and in safe hands. He had been gauging not only Lily's own abilities, but also the abilities of the Order. He was looking to see what he was up against.

That was the very thing that was happening in that moment. Voldemort was testing the strength of the aurors. He was going to test the strength of the whole wizarding world section by section. What better way to do it then to send out so many death eaters that they had no choice but to send everyone they had into the heat of the battle.

"He's testing us!" Lily spoke louder, wanting to share her revelation with the others. They instantly understood and fear crept in. If they were being tested it meant they would be pushed as far as they could go; physically, emotionally, and mentally.

That was when it happened. A little blonde haired boy with shining blue eyes in tiny overalls waddled onto the scene crying for his mother that he had lost in the crowd that used to be. Thought the death eaters were wearing silver masks Lily could imagine the look that was surely in the eyes of all the villains who saw the little angel. The voice that completed what all the death eaters were thinking of doing broke Lily's heart.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Just before that horrible curse hit the child, Charlotte-Mae Robinson, one of Lily's newest friends in the auror training program, jumped in front of it. The curse complimented her pale green eyes in a sickening way and Lily couldn't help but cry out as the light left those eyes she had always thought were interesting. She was caught off guard however and just before all the death eaters suddenly released the anti-apparation charm, several strong stunners were thrown in the group's direction. The world went black and few were left standing.

##########

**I'M SO SORRY! You guys hate me, I know. I forgot to let everyone know that I was going to a cabin this weekend, which explains my late update. To make up for it I'll post my text chapter on Friday instead of Saturday (I think I'll start doing this every time I update late). I'm also sorry for my horrible grammar, I didn't have time to correct (but I will eventually). Please point out any big mistakes for me in a comment! Review also 'cuz that would make me happy :)**

**-Sweets5236**


	12. Reunion

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**########## **

"What if," James started.

"Don't even say it, Prongs." Sirius muttered rubbing his eyes tiredly.

He was sick of the doubts and the "what if"s. He was sick of wondering and even sicker of imagining what could have happened. They were being irrational, he knew. Still, he couldn't help but imagine a lifeless Lily, a Marlene in critical condition, a fading Remus, an almost burned out Alice, or a faltering Frank. The images spun through his head causing him to panic every few minutes and force himself to calm down. It was terrible, the waiting.

The four boys were scheduled to go home in a half hour's time; not a minute early and not a minute late. The short amount of time left on their mission's clock was causing the nerves of all to become even more frazzled. They weren't thinking of the shocking facts they had learned while hiding under advanced charms or the people they had seen enter the meetings of the death eaters. They were thinking of what was happening in London.

"We should do something to pass the time." Gideon spoke while propping his feet upon the wooden table in the small flat.

"Yeah? What do you suggest?" his twin asked.

"There's always the classic sharing circle where we sob and tell each other our feelings." He said grinning widely.

"Yes because that will turn out well." Sirius said rolling his eyes. His voice practically dripped with sarcasm.

"Hey, I don't see you suggesting anything else." He replied hitting him in the arm with a loud laugh. The room quickly became silent again and the momentary happiness melted away quickly.

Rain was falling against the pavement outside rhythmically. It seemed as if the sky was crying for them. Thunder roared and lightning struck causing the old flat to shake ever so slightly. James kept his eyes focused on the floor as he tried to keep his mind as blank as possible. The only thing he focused on was that soon they would be able to go home.

"Did you imagine this?" he suddenly spoke, "Being here?"

"Depends on when you're talking about." Fabian said with a frown.

"When you were little, at Hogwarts, when you graduated, a month ago."

"Yes." Sirius instantly answered. James looked up at him quizzically. "Well, not exactly," he explained, "I imagined being on the run and fighting bad guys with the rest of the Marauders, this is pretty close.

"I sure as heck didn't," Gideon said with a snort while reclining even farther on his chair so that the front two legs lifted off the ground.

"Yeah?" James asked.

"Yeah. I fancied myself to be married with a little boy around now." He said shaking his head, "Little Molly is even farther ahead then I am on that point."

"You've always been a family man." Fabian said chuckling. "I on the other hand excepted exactly this. Moving from place to place on missions. I just thought I'd be doing it for the Ministry. They aren't exactly reliable anymore though, are they?"

"Yeah, not exactly." Sirius chimed in. "And you James?"

"Well I got the girl." He said with a rueful smile.

"Married life not what you expected?" Gideon said frowning a bit. James and Lily always seemed so happy together.

"No, that isn't it. It's more than I expected. I love Lily with…with everything I have. It's how much I love her that I didn't expect. I don't know what I'd do without her."

"You won't have to do anything, Prongs. It wasn't her."

"How do you know?"

"Don't you think that you'd be able to feel it? Don't you think I would? Prongs, the bond you have with her is amazing, your magic is intertwined at this point. I can feel it you know, when you cast a spell; I can feel her in it. I was beside her on New Years and I know what her magic feels like."

"But what if I couldn't?"

"But what if you could? That's all that matters right now! There's nothing else I can think to say Prongs, we just have to trust that Lily can kick and death eater's butt any day!"

"Yeah, she couldn't, couldn't she," he said finally smiling a little.

Suddenly the old soda can lying atop the wooden table started to glow faintly, omitting a blue sheen around it. It was finally time to leave.

"Five seconds." Gideon spoke while standing, "All hands on deck."

Sirius looked to James to see those hazel eyes filled with hope and worry mixed together so completely it was hard to decipher. They could only hope that it would all be okay as they reached out their hands and touched the portkey that would give them all of their answers.

##########

"He could be hurt." Lily muttered.

"He won't be." Alice replied easily.

"He could miss his portkey."

"He won't"

"He could have lost his memory."

"He wouldn't have."

"He could have stopped loving me."

"What in the world would ever make you believe that James would stop loving you?"

"I don't know!" Lily exclaimed as she buried her head in her hands. She winced as her hand came in contact with the bandaged part of her forehead, the part with he particularly large gash.

"Lily, you're panicking! Stay calm, it's going to be okay." Alice whispered, grasping her friend's hand.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Lily breathed in the too familiar scent of antiseptic. At that point in her life she despised any type of medical room. The white walls were horrible and the too cheery nurses made her sick to her stomach. The hospital gowns were the worst too, all itchy and a blue that clashed horribly with her hair. The only small comfort was that Marlene was in the hospital bed beside her. It was a room for one person, but Lily had insisted her still unconscious friend be brought in.

It had been three days since the fight in Diagon Alley. She had woken up two days previous, but contained in the hospital due to the bought of extreme dizziness she got whenever she stood. Her head had taken the force of her fall when she was stunned and for two hours after she woke she hadn't been able to see. Her vision was back to its perfection after a whole lot of worrying, but she still had a concussion to be reckoned with.

Marlene hadn't woken up though. Her breathing was steady and her heartbeat even, she just wouldn't wake. It was as if she were waiting for something. They were all scared for her, as they should be. It was only a small comfort that she seemed only to be sleeping. Three days was a very long time to be sleeping though and the doctors weren't even certain she'd wake at all. Although no one talked about it, the thought was constantly in the back of their minds.

Alice on the other hand had taken the least amount of damage out of the lot of them and left with nothing more needed then a few heavy-duty bandages placed on her arms. She hadn't even gone unconscious seeing as she had dodged the stunner thrown at her. Remus and Frank had been equally lucky and both were out buying lunch for the group.

"Think Lily, they're going to be back any minute now." Alice said with a large grin. "They're going to be back!"

"What will they think? Seeing Marlene and I in a hospital bed?"

"Knowing James, he probably nicked a newspaper despite what Dumbledore said and is _expecting _you to be in a hospital bed."

"That's even worse! He's probably worried out of his mind!"

"Well think of it this way, it will only make your reunion that much happier."

Suddenly the door to the room flew open and Lily was tackled by a being with messy black hair. Suddenly tears she didn't know she had been holding in came out, streaming down her face and she clutched onto the very man she had ben worried about.

"Lily. Oh Lily, Lily, Lily. I had thought I lost you." He murmured as he pressed kisses to her forever-red locks of hair. She only squeezed him tighter. He was home.

"I was so scared." She whispered.

"I know. I know, I was too, believe me." He said as he pulled back with her face in his hands and looked into the eyes he had missed so much. She choked a laugh through her tears and grasped his hand on her cheek.

Alice smiled fondly at the pair, not wanting to distract them from their moment. She turned to the door to see Sirius standing there staring at the occupant of the bed next to Lily's. He was frozen, not moving a muscle.

She stood and slowly made her way to him, as Lily and James were still absorbed with each other having not noticed Sirius yet. She placed her hand cautiously on Sirius's arm and he blinked.

"She's okay, only sleeping. She won't wake up though."

"Why?" he asked, his voice haunted.

"I think she is waiting…for you."

He locked eyes with Alice almost pleading for her answer to be true. She gave him a soft push towards her slumbering friend and he stumbled a bit before finding that he was standing beside her bed.

She looked so peaceful with her brown curls splayed out around her head like a halo. Her skin was pale though and she looked so fragile.

"Marlene?" he whispered. She didn't move.

Very slowly he moved down and pressed his lips softly to hers. Her eyes fluttered open revealing the chocolate brown he had been longing to see since he left.

##########

**REVIEW! Sorry for the grammar, I'll edit tomorrow :). Tell me how much you loved their reunion (Or how much you hated it, either way haha).**

**-Sweets5236**


	13. Finally Peace

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"LILY!" James hollered through the house. She paused her current chore of dusting the living room to answer.

"Yes?" she said slightly amused. She continued humming the tune from one of her favorite American musicals. The humming soon turned to mumbling the words with a hint of a tune following, "Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm yellow mittens,"

She swept her rag along the mantle, finding peace in her muggle way of cleaning. It seemed to be a perfect day. Moody had given them all a week off for their unplanned Diagon Alley battle and all were finally in good health. Lily had been released from St. Mungo's several days before and Marlene just that morning, something that she did a lot of complaining because. The sun was shining, Marlene and Sirius were finally "almost-kind-of-dating-but-not-really" as Sirius had put it, and James had declared that he had a surprise in store for her, something that she'd really be excited about.

It was nice to finally feel comfortable and happy. She could wear one of her favorite t-shirts and jeans and do her hair nice without the worry of needing to take part in a battle. For once her worries were pushed to the back of her mind and Lily focused solely on the positive.

"Brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things," she sung while spinning on her heel.

"Whatcha singing?" James' voice suddenly sounded behind her. Lily jumped several feet in the air, shocked that he had ben standing behind her. Her sped up heart slowly started to slow down again and she took a deep breath.

"James!" she exclaimed angrily after hitting him on the arm with her duster, "You scared the heck out of me!"

"Well I'm sorry, it was just too good of an opportunity to pass up." He said chuckling. He tugged on one of her loose curls playfully.

She looked good, no longer pale as she had the day before. He couldn't help but appreciate the fit of her jeans too. Her hair had also regained its usual bounce and she was smiling, something he loved. He grinned at the familiar red and gold jersey that had 'EVANS' spelled out on the back above a large number five that she was sporting proudly. He took his wand out and quickly changed the word 'EVANS' to 'POTTER' she took no mind and only grinned. Even though she couldn't see it she knew what he did.

"Too good of an opportunity?" she asked rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on, you would have done the same thing!" he said still grinning. She smiled a bit at that.

"You're right, I swear, you, Sirius, and Marlene are about the easiest people to scare on this planet."

"Hey now, I think you're taking this a bit too far." His eyes got that mischievous glint and Lily was suddenly worried.

Before she could comprehend what was happening he had pounced on her and his hands had found their way to her ribcage. She squirmed and she laughed uproariously and the two fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs. She squealed as he tickled her and practically screamed when his fingers found their way under her knees, her weak spot. Her laughter rang through the house alongside his chuckles.

"Hey Prongs, do you think Remus and I can borrow…"Sirius froze when he saw the two tangled on the ground laughing. He decided it probably hadn't been a good idea to just walk in, "You know what? I'll…I'll just come back later." He said with a small laugh before leaving the house.

Lily and James didn't even notice their friend walk in, as they were too short of breath from laughing so hard. James finally rolled off her and she took in several needed deep breaths and tried to slow her laughter, it was proving to be difficult. James was having the same problem though.

Soon the two grew silent, Lily clutching her now aching ribs and James smiling largely. Her grabbed her hand in his and brought it up to his lips, kissing the knuckles softly and holding them there.

"I wish we were normal," Lily finally said with a sigh.

"Yeah, but what fun would that be?" he said turning to his side to face her better.

She thought for a moment and then realized that he was right. If they were normal she might not have even met him. She wouldn't have had magic or a job that gave her that familiar rush of adrenaline that she adored. She froze at that thought with the realization that she really was one of the Marauders now. After all, she seemed to live for the thrill of adventure just as much as they did.

"So…about that surprise." She said with a smile, also turning to her side.

"Why do you think I came into the house?" he asked.

"Will you show me it now?"

"Would you like me to?" he asked rubbing his nose against hers.

"Well that's a rather stupid question." She said smiling.

"What's the magic word?" he said in a singsong voice.

"Please?"

"Not exactly. It was really ' James-is-the-best-husband-in-the-universe-and-is-totally-better-at-pranking-than-Sirius', but I'll take please."

He kissed her quickly and stood, reaching a hand down for her to take. She grasped it quickly and he pulled her to her feet, causing her to nearly knock him over with the force of it. He kept on forgetting how light she was.

"Ready?" he asked, his grin growing wider.

In that moment he looked like a fourth year again with his hair mussed up and his smile outrageously crooked. All he was missing was a broomstick clutched in his hand with Sirius at his side swinging a beaters bat to scare little first years. His forever-hazel eyes sparkled happily and were no longer filled with worry as they usually were. That was the James she had fallen in love with, Lily decided. She'd always love all sides of him though.

"Of course I'm ready." She said grabbing his hand again.

He nodded enthusiastically and pulled her out the backdoor into the yard. Before the grass had been pale and lifeless and the fence chipped. Lily hadn't minded though for the chipped fence was covered with little blue flowers and the grass held patches of clovers. It seemed like she was looking at a whole new place now.

The grass was her favorite shade of dark green and the fence was clean and white. She still saw that ivy with the blue flowers and the clovers, however. There was also a large tree sitting in the corner of the yard, its leaves just starting to change colors. The tree reminded her largely of their favored spot at Hogwarts and made her smile. It was very tall and a ragged swing was tied to its front branches. Lily looked to the other side of the yard to see something that nearly brought tears to her eyes. He had remembered.

Sitting there was a larger than large garden filled with strawberry plants. She could tell just by looking at the sprouts. It definitely wasn't strawberry season, but she didn't care. All Lily cared about was that James had gotten her her strawberry patch.

She spun around and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly and breathing in his familiar scent of hot chocolate and cinnamon. It was beautiful, all of it and somehow he had gotten it all done in a single afternoon.

"James," she breathed, "It's gorgeous. How….how did you…"

"I asked Remus to look up some nifty charms for the grass and fence along with the tree, it took me no more than it a few minutes. It was the strawberry garden that took the time." He said running a hand through his hair.

"You mean…"she paused, not daring to say it.

"Yeah, that garden hasn't been touched by a single strand of magic, completely muggle, it is. I figured we could keep it that way."

"Really?" she exclaimed, her face lighting up.

"Yes, really." He said laughing.

"I love you so much, James." She sighed while burying her head deeper into his shoulder.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything." She muttered.

"Why? What made you stop hating me? It was like some switch was turned on between sixth and seventh year."

"You...you do know I love you, right?"

"Of course, no doubt about it." He said trying to reassure her. He tangled his hand through her curls and worked on untangling the pieces tied together.

"Honestly? I woke up to reality."

"What do you mean?" he asked, a little confused.

"I finally realized how cruel the world was and how much I needed someone to lean on. My wake-up also woke me up to how perfect you could be for that position. I noticed how good you were at making me smile and how much you actually cared about me.

You were almost always there and when you weren't I felt…empty and alone and lost without any direction. It was scary when I realized that I don't know what I'd do without you." She finally lifted her head and looked up at him. He was frowning a bit and wouldn't meet her eye. It made her worry.

"You shouldn't have…it shouldn't have happened, Lily. Your parents dying and New Years, I mean. Its awful and horrible and cruel and you shouldn't have had to go through that." Her worry disappeared at his words.

"But I did and there's nothing we can do about it."

"I know," he sighed. He finally looked into her eyes and all his worry melted away. She looked happy and that was all he ever wanted her to be. He pulled her close again and just held her there, relishing in the peace they seemed to have found.

They just stood there, clutching onto each other, for what seemed like years. It was a very long time before Lily finally spoke up.

"Do you want to give me a push on that swing now?" she asked. James grinned. It was all going to be okay.

##########

"You have no idea what I just walked in on." Sirius said as he waltzed into the flat he shared with Remus and Peter.

"What?" Remus asked from his position trying to install the muggle television Sirius had insisted they get.

"Love. It was disgusting. They were laughing and he was tickling her and…I can't even say any more." He said shaking his head before collapsing on their old sofa. It creaked with the added weight and threatened to collapse.

"Disgusting, huh? What about that Sleeping Beauty moment you had with Marlene?"

"I have no idea who this 'Sleeping Beauty' is so your potentially kick-butt comeback was totally lost on me." Sirius said shaking his head.

"Eh, it wasn't that great anyway." Remus said still fiddling with the many wires. "I guess Lily isn't going to let us borrow her TV instruction guide is she?"

"Pshhh, I'm not going back there so you're going to have to figure it out yourself."

Suddenly the door flew open and in walked in Marlene with her brown curls sticking up all over the place and blue marker all over her face and clothes.

"I despise children!" she exclaimed while throwing her arms up in the air.

"Umm, excuse me, who invited you in again?" Sirius said grinning.

"Oh shut it, you." She said plopping down beside him, she misjudged the distance from where she was standing and where the coach was and landed rather hard.

"What's this about not liking children?" Remus asked after finally giving up on the television. He figured he'd get Lily to come and help him later.

"They're demons, all of them." She said rubbing her tired eyes.

"Since when have you been around children?" Sirius asked, honestly wondering.

"I wanted to earn a little extra cash to buy me some dancing shoes so I decided, what the heck, I might as well babysit some kids!"

"And it resulted in a blue marker mustache?" Sirius asked trying not to laugh.

"Exactly."

"At least it goes well with your hair." He said with a shrug.

"Are you trying to make my life difficult?" she said rolling her eyes.

"No, not at all." He said trying to look serious.

"What brings you to our humble abode besides your hate of children?" Remus asked her.

"My flat has been taken over by Alice and Frank, they're being all romantic and stuff." She said frowning.

"Romantic stuff disgusts me too!" Sirius exclaimed, "We have so much in common!"

"You're an idiot, Sirius."

"That hurt, Marlene, right here." He said motioning to his heart dramatically.

"Well James and Lily better be done being in love because I'm going to head over there to get Lily to come help me." Remus said standing and stretching.

"Have fun." Marlene muttered with her eyes still closed.

"It's your own fault if you get caught up in the revolting, not to mention public, displays of affection." Sirius warned.

"How is it public if they're in the safety of their own homes?" Marlene suddenly questioned.

"Just so you know, Marlene, what Sirius classifies as a 'revolting display of affection' is a tickle fight." Remus said just as he closed the door behind him with a chuckle.

"Awwww, that would have been adorable to see," Marlene cooed.

"Adorable?" Sirius asked pulling a face.

"Yeah, why not?"

"You're going to make me sick, Marley."

Suddenly the two were hyper aware that they were the only ones left in the flat. It also became obvious how close they were to each other. Marlene's heartbeat sped up a bit but she kept her tone calm, trying not to give it away.

"What? You don't like being tickled, Sirius?"

She sneakily moved her fingers to his ribcage and grinned when he jumped.

"Don't you dare." He hissed.

She merely smiled widely and moved her fingers to where she knew he was most ticklish; the bottom of his ribs, and began tickling him mercilessly. She smiled wider at the sound of his bark-like laughter. Soon he was trying to get her back and the two rolled off the couch with loud laughs.

Before they knew what happened Sirius was on top of Marlene, breathing heavily. He stared into her brown eyes, searching for some kind of sign that told him she wanted him to move. He didn't find any so he slowly moved down and pressed his lips to hers.

"I definitely like being tickled," he mumbled against her lips. She smiled in response, yes, she decided she liked getting tickled too.

#########

**Finally a chapter of peace! I felt like the Marauders deserved it really, all the action I've thrown at them made me feel a bit guilty. Guess what though! You'll actually see the plot line in the next chapter! Yay! PLEASE REVIEW! It would make my week! I love you all and really want your feedback (good or constructive criticism)!**

**-Sweets5236**


	14. Plans Completed

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

A week. There was only a week left until the training for the aurors was finished. The three months had flown by quickly considering the usual time for training was three years. Initially each section took no more than a week at most and sometimes only a singular day. All had the fear that something had been missed, that something important wasn't covered and they'd pay for it in the end.

There was nothing more they could do though. They needed to start training a new batch of aurors for the battle they all knew was to come. The world needed heroes after all, but all heroes needed training, even the best of them. Despite what people wished, it took more than bravery to win a fight.

Some made the connected that Dumbledore had been drilling into their heads; the connection that the house of Hogwarts needed to be united. You needed Gryffindor gut, Ravenclaw wisdom, Hufflepuff loyalty, and even a bit of cunningness from Slytherin to be the best you could be. It was too late for some of them, however.

All they could do now was hope that their futures would become much brighter than they looked to be. Darkness was sweeping across the nation and the muggles were starting to notice as the wizarding world panicked. Their explanations for the things happening became wilder and wilder as the days went on. They were scared, all of them. It was exactly the scene Voldemort had been trying to set. It was time for his plan to unfold.

##########

"James, is the house clean?" Lily spoke running around wildly.

"Yes, dear," he said trying to refrain from rolling his eyes.

"Did you sweep the kitchen, James?"

"Yes, dear."

"Did you hide Sirius' muggle firecrackers? I'm sure those things are illegal." She said dropping to her knees to peer under the couch for stray items.

"Yes, dear."

"What about the bathrooms? Are those clean?" she spoke nervously dashing to said place to make sure it was spotless.

Before she could make it halfway there, James swept her up in his arms and squeezed her tightly to his chest, making her unmovable. She squirmed a bit before relaxing into him. The familiarity of his scent clamed her frazzled nerves a great deal.

"Deep breaths, Lils. Deep breaths," he said chuckling. Lily could feel the rumble in his chest and it calmed her even further.

She listened to what he said and breathed in deeply. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about it too much, but everything needed to be perfect. It was the first time anyone besides Sirius, Remus, Peter, Alice, Marlene, or Frank had been inside her house and she didn't have to worry about cleaning for them because they were usually the ones who made her home messy.

"It's only the Order, Flower, none of them are going to care how clean or messy our home is, they all love you!"

"I know, I know, I know. It's just that, _Dumbledore_ is going to be in _our_ house! For all we know something entirely life changing can be announced _here_!"

"Then we will have the honor of it being so," he said pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

The pair jumped when the door suddenly flew open and banged against the wall. Sirius marched in, loud as ever dragging an amused Marlene behind him.

"POTTERS I'M HOOOOME!" he yelled.

Lily immediately grabbed the nearest pillow and wacked him over the head with it. He cowered in her terror. It was obviously not the time to upset her, but he had discovered that a moment too late.

"SIRIUS BLACK! DO YOU REALIZE HOW BADLY YOU SCARED ME? FOR ALL I KNOW YOU COULD HAVE BEEN A MURDERER! I COULD HAVE HEXED YOU!" she yelled with each hit. James and Marlene merely sat back with small grins on their faces.

"Lily! Lily, Lily, Lily," he spoke with each hit over the head, "How many people know how to disarm the enchantments? Only the eight of us! Me, ouch, you, ouch, James, ouch, Marlene, Remus, Alice, Frank, and Peter!" he spit out, trying not to laugh at her tirade. He knew it would only make things worse.

"But how do I know that an idiot like you didn't spill it to someone?" she spoke still hitting him.

Suddenly Sirius jumped up from his crouched position and tackled her to the floor, causing the pillow to fly across the room.

"DOG PILE ON LILY!" He yelled excitedly.

James and Marlene shared similar looks and were soon piled upon Sirius and Lily, laughing while they were at it. At that moment Alice, Frank, and Remus undid the charms set upon the door and stepped in to see the pile.

"Oooo, this looks like fun," Alice said grinning. She looked to Frank who had a mischievous glint in his eyes and the two joined in with Remus close behind them.

"Sirius! You're nearly crushing me!" Lily said nearly laughing now.

"Hey there, Sunshine, I'm the one taking most of the weight here so that you don't become a Lily pancake!"

It was true; Sirius was on his hands and knees, bracing the force of the others quite well. Before long, however, it became too much so with a chuckle he rolled off Lily causing the others to roll off with him. It was then that Peter walked in looking quite confused.

"Did I miss something here?" he spoke nervously. He was met with loud rambunctious laughter.

Lily's nerves had left her. What with a combination of James' reassurance and Sirius' silliness she felt that all would be well. After all, the rest of the Order was her friends; she shouldn't have to be nervous around them.

##########

Dumbledore stepped into the Potter home with a weight upon his back, the weight of having to break some news he'd rather not be broken. The fact that all the members looked so happy made his heart ache even more. Albus may be wise, but he had a heart. Sometimes it was best to keep his feelings to himself, however. He needed to look invincible for all those who depended on him.

His eyes searched the room, looking for any missing faces. It appeared, however, that they were all there. Their numbers had gained a few, but they were still small. Small however, always had the potential to grow larger.

"It has happened," Dumbledore spoke strongly, quieting the chatting room instantly. "Voldemort has finished preparing."

He walked farther into the room and turned to their hosts for the evening, Lily and James Potter. James seemed slightly confused, but Lily as strong as ever. Dumbledore knew she lived for their meetings, he could see it in her eyes. Her mind, however, was heavily clouded, making it hard for him to know what she was thinking.

"Your Occlumency is growing stronger, Lily, well done," he spoke softly for only her and James' ears to hear.

Lily had spoke to him after the first meeting, asking for lessons on Legilimency and Occlumency. He had declined as soon as she had asked. Lily needed to do it for herself; she was strong enough after all. She was also smart enough to correctly teach herself the lost art. He did grant one of her requests, though. She had asked him to search her mind once every meeting when she wouldn't expect it and gauge her strength. He could tell she was doing very well.

She smiled just a bit before resuming her strong stance. James' arm was wrapped around her waist where she held onto the hand with her left. Dumbledore once again marveled at the love that seemed to radiate off of them.

He backed up from the pair and turned to face the rest of the group. It was time for them to get to business whether they wanted to or not.

"As I said," he spoke. "His plans are completed and actions sure. What you have seen was nothing more than a precursor."

"A precursor?" Sirius spoke, trying to hide his worry with a laugh, "I'd hate to see what's next."

"Oh I'm sure you would, Sirius." Dumbledore said with a nod of his head.

"So what your telling me is that we're going to have to kick some more death eater butt, more than usual at least." Fabian said, speaking up.

"Essentially." Dumbledore said.

"What is it exactly that's going to happen next then?" Marlene asked.

"Tomorrow the Daily Prophet will announce the newest decree. The decree that proves that Voldemort has taken control over the Ministry of Magic."

"Why would Voldemort come out and say that he has control? Isn't that a bit of a stupid move? To throw everything out there?" James asked nervously.

"No, no, no, he's much smarter than that. You see, Tom has grown much stronger. Much stronger than I thought he would."

The room went in an uproar, everyone speaking at once. The voices were loud and arguing, scared and worried. Dumbledore was supposed to tell them that all was well, not that there enemy was stronger, possibly stronger than them.

"QUIET!" he spoke fiercely, but not in a menacing way. The room instantly became silent. "Fear is what drives us to do our best, I believe, but that does not mean we should show it. Fear can be a weakness against us if we misuse it. If we put it to our advantage, however, it can become out greatest weapon."

"Fear?" Gideon questioned. The room stayed silent before Lily, feeling it was important, spoke up.

"He's right, you know." The room turned towards the redhead and James' grip on her waist became a bit tighter. "Being _scared _makes you strong. It gives purpose. I'm scared. Heck, I'm terrified! I'm terrified that I'll never be able to have a family and that we will all fail! But that gives me all the more reason to fight for what I want in _my_ future."

Her words were awakening, lighting the spark within all of those present. A look of determination was seen obviously within their eyes. It was the determination that James had been able to see within Lily for a very long time.

James remembered first noticing that look in her eyes. It was one of the very things that made him propose. He fiddled with the ring that was one her finger and smiled fondly at its design.

When James had actually gotten her a ring, one that wasn't drawn on by color changing ink, Lily had insisted it be a replica of the one he had scribbled onto her left ring finger. It was what she wanted, so it was what she got.

The ring was crooked and a bit curly, particularly in the spot that James had added in a little loop. The silver ring was outlined in a color changing silver and placed upon the top was a large diamond cut as a messily done octagon, something he'd thought he'd originally have fun with. Now it wasn't a drawing on her finger, but an actual symbol that represented the friendship that the eight of them had. Frank might not have been included in their promise, but he was part of them now just the same, making him the eighth. This large diamond octagon was outlined in the same color changing silver. James adored it.

He turned back to the crowd around him to see them still letting Lily's words sink in.

"So what is it?" Remus asked, "What is it that is going to be in the Prophet tomorrow?"

"Officially, starting tomorrow, the wizarding world will have exactly one month to register. Register, their names, birthday, addresses, affiliations, previous schoolhouse, family names, accomplishments, testing scores, occupational achievements and failures, blood type, and afflictions. Voldemort will have access to you and everything about you. Our weaknesses will be opened to him and all of his followers."

"And if we don't register?" Sirius asked, his voice shaky.

"A lifetime sentence in Azkaban Prison."

##########

**PLEASE READ! VERY IMPORTANT!**

**PLOT LINE! Yeah! I have bad news, however. I've become discouraged. I'm getting three, four tops, reviews per chapter. It makes me feel like I'm not doing any good. I've been forced to take drastic measures. I'm not posting the next chapter until I get at LEAST ten reviews for this chapter. If I do, it will be posted Saturday as usual. If not, I'm not going to post it. I adore my reviewers, I really do and thank you so much, but I need more encouragement from others! Review about anything! What you like! What you don't like! What I should fix! Would I should do next! Heck, review about what socks you're wearing just to let me know that people are actually reading this! Thanks.**

**-Sweets5236**


	15. Special Surprises

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

James stared down at the newspaper lying limply in his hands. The words on its cover seemed to mock him and the pages seemed to burn the tips of his fingers. He wanted nothing more than to throw them into the fire. The hatred he had sometimes felt during Hogwarts bubbled up inside of him, nearly boiling over for the first time since he had discovered Lily's parents had died. Dumbledore had been right. As much as James had hoped and prayed that what the man had said was wrong, it had still happened.

Suddenly James felt as if all the good he had ever done for the world had gone to waste. All the Order missions and brutal training sessions to become an auror suddenly felt worthless, as if he had done them for nothing. James felt like he had failed. While he knew thinking like that wasn't smart, the nagging was still in the back of his head.

Officially, all witches and wizards ages seventeen and older were subjected to register at the ministry of magic. They had to willingly give their life stories to Voldemort; their weaknesses were his for him to pursue. All the testing he had done, the testing of the Order and the aurors, led up to that one moment.

James was in shock. Frozen there at his hand-me-down kitchen table for what seemed like forever. He was still sitting there when Lily walked in and began pouring herself a glass of milk. Her hair was mussed up and horribly static-y and she was still in her pajamas. She poured him an identical glass, still silent. It comforted James how calm she was acting.

She turned and looked at him, smiling grimly. Soon she was sitting on his lap and looking at the paper in front of him, not showing any emotion. Lily set his mug of milk in front of him with her own clutched in both her hands. He could see they were nearly shaking and her eyes blazed with anger.

"Are you worried?" he asked softly, placing a hand over her own.

"Yes," she said with a small smile, turning her face to look him in the eye.

"It sure doesn't seem like it," he said chuckling.

"Trust me, I'm holding it all in."

"Why?"

"It hurts less."

"I'm scared," he admitted.

"I know, me too."

James then realized how many times they had told that to each other in the time they were married. It seemed like every other day he was confessing his fears to her. It was what made them strong though, knowing the other felt the same. He told Lily things without even thinking about what he was saying, just because he knew he could. She knew him for who he was, a scared boy who was pushed into the real world far too soon. She was scared too and that was the only thing that got him by.

"Tell me Lily, what makes you worried? I need to understand what you're feeling," he pleaded, searching her eyes for the answers.

"I'm not worried for myself," she said with a sad smile. She ran her hand through his hair after setting her mug down. It stood up on the ends even more and he relished the feeling. "He already knows us James, he already knows everything about us."

His previously closed eyes snapped open. She was right, completely and totally right. There he was feeling sorry for himself when he had nothing else to loose. That was no reason to not be worried though. His fear actually increased because the less focused Voldemort was on James and Lily the more focused he was on their family. Sirius, Remus, Marlene, Alice, Frank, Peter, and all the members of the Order were the ones Voldemort was going to be putting his time towards.

"What do we do?" he whispered into her hair.

"I don't know James. We…we live and move on and hope that we can make it through." She said wrapping an arm around his neck.

"Isn't there something…something we can do?"

"I have no idea," she froze. "I feel so helpless and I hate it."

James frowned and merely wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He rubbed small circles on her back and hoped along with her.

##########

"They're insane, it's official," Sirius spoke as he appeared in their fireplace accompanied by the classic green flames.

He froze when he saw Lily sitting on James' lap in their kitchen. The two were hugging fiercely as if their lives depended on it and suddenly Sirius wished Marlene were standing beside him. He saw the newspaper lying on the table in front of them and suddenly the situation didn't seem so awkward anymore.

"I…I guess you guys want to be…left alone," he muttered rubbing the back of his neck. None of the funny quips he usually had came to mind.

While James kept his neck buried in Lily's neck, she turned her head towards Sirius and freed an arm from James and reached it out towards him. The message was obvious and after seeing the newspaper that morning just as they did, Sirius needed their support.

Without hesitation Sirius walked boldly towards them and stepped into the hug Lily was offering him. He placed an arm around James and another around Lily, trying to forget how everything was going to change. His usual sarcasm had disappeared. It didn't matter though.

After a few minute Lily finally broke the silence.

"So who's insane?" her muffled voice asked.

Suddenly Sirius remembered why he had come to visit them so early in the morning in the first place. He felt a little thrill going through him at the mere thought of it.

"It's Alice and Frank, they're getting married," he spoke pulling back.

Lily jerked away from the both of them and hopped off James' lap with surprising speed. She looked shocked, but incredibly happy at the same time. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was spread in a sparkling smile.

"What!" she exclaimed, "Since when?"

"Since the night before the battle at Diagon Alley."

"That was…that was weeks ago!"

"I know, they were planning on a long engagement but after what Dumbledore said they decided they should get it done."

"Which means?" James pressed.

"Which means today. They're getting married today."

"WHAT!"

"And, Lily, you're a bridesmaid."

She was into the fireplace and shouting the address to Alice and Marlene's flat in seconds.

"I don't know how well you handled that, Sirius," James said patting him on the back, "Now lets go prep Frank."

##########

"ALICE! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Lily yelled as she flew into the fireplace.

The first thing she saw was Marlene chasing Alice around their kitchen table with a broomstick in her hands. Lily felt as if she should join in the chase, but decided instead to save the future bride's life.

Before she reacted, however, she took a glance around the area. She had been to Alice and Marlene's flat several times, but never really got the chance to look at it good. The place was nice, obviously containing bachelorettes seeing as the walls were covered in florescent blue, green, and pink polka dots and littered in equally bright, fluffy throw pillows. Initially it was a little over the top, but it made Lily smile.

The two were currently, as Lily had already noticed, chasing each other around the kitchen table which was equally their style, charmed bright yellow with strangely shaped chairs surrounding it.

"Marley…Marley…MARLENE MCKINNON!" Lily finally shouted. The two instantly froze, Marlene with her broomstick raised in the air.

"Lily," Alice said breathing heavily from all her running. "I'm guessing you got the news?"

Alice was beaming brightly and looked overjoyed. Merely seeing that smile made Lily smile brightly right back at her. She knew what Alice was feeling. It was that brilliant, butterfly carrying, this-is-the-moment-my-life-begins feeling and it was absolutely wonderful.

"As extremely happy as I am for you, Ali, sending Sirius over might not have been the best idea," she said before pulling her friend into a hug.

"I just can't believe she didn't tell me she was engaged!" Marlene shouted, throwing her arms into the air.

"We…we didn't want anyone to know incase anything…happened."

Lily's face fell as she remembered the condition their world was in. It was a horrible thing that Alice and Frank didn't think they could tell anyone of their engagement because they were too worried they'd die at the hands of a dark wizard. It was terrible that it was even a possibility.

"Well…what now?" Lily asked.

"The wedding. We have three hours to get me dressed up and to the lake."

"Lake?" Marlene asked, thoroughly confused.

"It's going to be at Hogwarts," Alice said smiling, "We'd thought it be safer, plus it's always beautiful at this time of year."

"I'm so happy for you Alice!" Lily squealed while squeezing her friend's hand.

"First things first?" Marlene asked.

"Yeah, I'll need a dress." Alice said frowning a bit. Lily grinned.

"I have the perfect idea."

##########

"Way to go, Frank, you finally bucked up enough courage to get married." James said as him and Sirius arrived at the flat Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Frank all shared.

"Took me long enough," Frank said chuckling. He was pulling the jacket to his tux over his classic white shirt.

"You sure get ready fast, now don't you." Sirius said grinning.

"Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do with my time, Alice asked for three hours. That a really, REALLY, long time to wait to get married."

"Agreed. You should have seen Lily's face when Sirius told her," James said laughing.

"I'm sure it was great," Frank said grinning.

James turned at the sound of both Remus and Peter walking in. Remus was finishing up the dying of his tie and Peter was trying to tie his shoelace while walking, he was sadly unsuccessful and his hopping caused him to face plant it on the floor.

"James, Sirius, how are you?" Remus asked not yet looking at them.

"Great," James instantly replied.

"Wonderful," Sirius said in return.

"Glorious."

"Phenomenal."

"Tremendous."

"Sensational."

"Stupendous."

"Okay, I think we get it, enough with the adjective," Remus said rolling his eyes.

"Not that I know what this so called 'adjective' is, but all those in favor of using these next three hours to take a nap say I."

"I!" James instantly responded.

"It's decided," Frank said chuckling, "I think something to relax my nerves would be great."

As James laid his head down on a pillow on the floor he took the time to reflect on how extremely grateful he was for Frank and Alice's impromptu wedding because of the distraction it brought. Despite what others would think, James couldn't think of a more brilliant time for a wedding.

##########

** I love you guys so much! I have something to admit, I was never going to hold this chapter back. I had faith in all of you to deliver, but either way I would have posted it. However, I am extremely proud to say that I received over twenty reviews for that one chapter! You guys are all amazing! I do want to clear something up though, I am so terribly, amazingly, wonderfully grateful for the reviews I had and I think some of you took my ask for a few more the wrong way, I apologize for that, I should have been more clear. I AM grateful for what I have, I just needed that little boost that once. I LOVE YOU ALL! REMEMBER THAT!**

**-Sweets5236 **


	16. Wedding at Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"Are you sure we couldn't just…go out and buy a dress?" Marlene asked nervously as Lily glanced over her own wedding gown she had brought.

"Silly, we don't have time!" the redhead spoke, still examining the dress intensely.

"It'll be fine, Marley, Lily's amazing at charms and you know it," Alice said. Marlene, however, didn't miss the little spark of unease in her eyes.

"Do you have an idea of what you'd like?" Lily asked, finally looking up at Alice.

"Something…simple and elegant…nice and flow-y at the bottom too."

"Ball gown?" Lily asked, not entirely sure what Alice wanted.

"Almost, not quite so poof-y."

"Are you sure about this Lily?" Marlene asked, "If you get this wrong you could ruin both of the dresses."

"Marlene, calm down, it's just a simple duplicating charm."

"It's your wedding dress Lily!"

"I can risk it for Alice, it's fine," she said turning to Alice with a reassuring smile.

"If you're sure," Alice said, not wanting to get her hopes up.

"I am," Lily said rolling her eyes. Her gaze quickly became focused as she aimed her wand at her wedding dress sitting on the bed. "Geminio," she whispered.

The group froze in anticipation, but all let out a grateful sigh as a matching copy of Lily's wedding dress floated beside the original. Both were in perfect condition and Lily couldn't help but grinning. She reckoned she had never formed a better duplicating charm in her life.

"Brilliant," Alice spoke as she smiled down at the copy.

"Now for the adjustments," Lily said rubbing her hands together.

What she hadn't told Alice or Marlene was that adjusting the copy of Lily's dress to be one that Alice would love would be a dozen times harder than copying it. Lily had to get it perfect because if she messed up she couldn't start over or recopy the dress, as simple as the 'geminio' spell was it took up a lot of magical energy.

Thus being said, Lily squeezed her eyes shut and focused on what Alice might like. It was more than difficult though, it was to be her wedding dress after all and it had to be perfect, Alice deserved it. They didn't have time to go through every little detail together, however. They had already spent the majority of their time doing their hair and make-up, not to mention Alice sending Marlene and Lily over the prep the grounds at Hogwarts. They had no more than half an hour at most.

"Alice, go get a piece of paper and pencil, quick," Lily called over her shoulder.

Alice nodded and ran off to grab some paper from a drawer in the small kitchen. Marlene was looking nervous still and that worried Lily a bit. Marlene wasn't really a nervous person. She was the one who went with the flow and even if she did worry, she hid it extremely well.

"You okay, Marley?" she asked with concern,

"Just fine…Alice is getting married in half an hour, I was just told today, Voldemort took over the Ministry this morning, and now we're going to have to expose everything to _him_. Of course I'm okay," she said with full sarcasm before collapsing onto the floor next to Lily.

"Funny, Marlene," Lily spoke with a sigh. "It'll work out I bet…somehow."

"Yeah, somehow."

"What's really wrong?" Lily asked, knowing that while all those things may be bothering Marley, they weren't the reason she was so upset.

"Would it be bad if I said I was a little…jealous?" Marlene finally said before closing her eyes and cradling her head in her hands.

"It'd be human, is all," Lily answered almost immediately. For some reason she wasn't surprised as she thought she'd be.

"She's lucky."

"Yeah, she is. How are you, Marlene, you and Sirius?"

"Wonderful, brilliant, amazing…"

"But?"

"But it isn't enough for him to propose."

"Who says he won't?"

"He's Sirius, Lily, who knows what will have happened by the time he finally gets the guts to even _consider_ it."

"But that doesn't mean he won't love you all the same, Marley."

Silence entered the room until the muffled sound of Alice's slippers replaced it as she walked back in with a pad of paper in one hand and a newly sharpened pencil in the other. Lily had to smile at how long it had taken her to find the two objects.

"Sorry, guys, I had time finding a sharpened pencil, but then I realized I had a wand and could _accio _one," she said grinning briefly before sitting down between Lily and Marlene. "You want me to draw it?" she asked turning to Lily.

"All the details, Ali, this is your dress."

"Sounds good, great really," Alice said still beaming.

Lily and Marlene sat as Alice sketched and erased. Within five minutes the girl's smile had grown wider (if at all possible) and she handed the pad to Lily.

Before glancing down at the sketch Lily took a few seconds to look at Alice. She was positively glowing with happiness. Frank was her Hogwarts sweetheart; they had been dating since their fourth year. It would be hard to imagine either one getting married to anyone else. The time had finally come though. Everyone knew it had, but the two had always been ones to take things slowly.

Lily finally looked down at the image on the thin pad of paper and smiled. She could recognize Alice in the way the simple gown was drawn. The shoulders were a simple lace and the waist fitted before flowing out at her hips, the fabric was rippling over itself and imbedded atop the folds of fabric were smartly placed sketches of little roses being followed by a trail of what Lily assumed would be pearls. It was gorgeous.

"Can you do it?" Alice asked hopefully, biting her lip.

"Yeah," Lily replied grinning.

"Awesome, thank you Lily, so much! You have no idea how much this means to me! I was…I was going to walk down the isle in a Sunday dress, or something cheep I could pick up quick," she rambled.

"Your welcome," Lily responded, interrupting. Alice smiled sheepishly. "Why don't you and Marley go get some food and bring it back, yeah?"

"Yeah, sounds great." Marlene said pulling the excited Alice out of the room. "Good luck!" she called back before the door was shut behind them.

Lily finally let her grimace through as soon as the door closed. She stood up and jumped around a little bit muttering her needed, "dang it, dang it, dang it" s. After her miniature freak out moment she took a deep breath and took her seat on the floor once again.

It was going to be hard, really hard. You see, the very reason why witches and wizards preferred to buy their robes pre-tailored was because altering them was far harder than most thought. It was dangerous in a way too. One syllable spoken wrong and something could catch on fire or explode. Altering charms were left to professionals.

While Alice's dress wasn't overly detailed, it was going to be trickier than Lily had first thought out. She had faith in herself though. After all, she _would _not fail her best friend. It was her wedding day ands she deserved everything to be perfect.

Lily closed her eyes and the image of Alice's dress came to mind along with the charms she'd need to use. With one last deep breath she got to work.

##########

"Sirius? Sirius, wake up,"

"Wake me after Potions is over," Sirius responded groggily as he swatted James away half-heartedly.

"Sirius, wake up," James repeated while rolling his eyes.

"Slughorn already hates me," Sirius spoke once again swatting James away. "I stole his…pineapple." He rolled over at the last word.

James grinned widely. He decided that Sirius was at his most hilarious when he wasn't trying to be. James then concluded that it just meant that Sirius was naturally an idiot sometimes. He laughed to himself at the thought and finally decided to take drastic measures.

"Hey, Moony? Toss me that pillow," he spoke turning to Remus who was tying his silver tie. Remus merely chuckled and threw the wanted pillow to James.

"Sirius, I don't want to do this," he spoke to his friend. It was a lie though; he really wanted to do it and couldn't keep the grin off his face.

"Five more minutes,"

"You asked for it," James finally said.

The pillow came down on top of Sirius' head rather hard and the boy instantly sat up, wide-eyed and confused. Remus was already chuckling, but he laughed even harder when he heard the first thing Sirius spoke.

"Lily, stop hitting me with pillows."

The number of times Lily had whacked Sirius with pillows _had_ been a lot which added even more hilarity to the situation. James couldn't hold in his loud laughter as much as he tried.

Needless to say, when Frank walked into the room what he saw confused him quite a bit. Remus and James were bent over laughing next to a stray pillow and Sirius was looking disoriented on the couch.

"Did I miss something?" he asked a bit hesitantly, not knowing if he really wanted to know.

"Sirius is an idiot!" James choked out between his laughter.

"Hey there! I was half asleep, you have no right!" Sirius stated crossing his arms and looking annoyed. His grey eyes still twinkled mischievously.

"He thought James was Slughorn…and Lily." Remus finally told Frank with a smile.

"In my defense," Sirius started. James ended up cutting him off,

"Yeah, yeah, you were half asleep, whatever."

"I was!" Sirius pouted.

"Despite how asleep you were, it doesn't change the fact that the wedding starts in ten minutes." Remus spoke, finally finishing his tie up after the distraction.

"Well that's a problem," Sirius said frowning. He looked down at himself and saw he was in his Gryffindor lion pajama bottoms and his old Quidditch jersey.

"Ready to get married?" James asked Frank and Sirius ran around the room trying to find the dress robes he had brought.

"Yeah, it's about time."

#########

"Does it look okay? I think it does, but I'm not sure."

"It looks brilliant Lily," Marlene responded rolling her eyes.

"I don't know, Marley, it needs to be perfect."

"It is, really."

"You think so?"

"It's beautiful, now lets go sit down."

Lily finally calmed herself and took a seat with Marlene in the front row, making sure to leave spots for James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter. She shifted slightly against the padded seats that had been placed and glanced around the area making sure everything was in order.

It was then that Lily finally saw the beauty in it all. The wedding was taking place at Hogwarts by the lake, as planned, and the sun was just beginning to fall behind the horizon leaving streaks of orange and pink in its wake. Fairy lights were strung through the trees and an autumn leaf entwined arch stood at the front with several rows of neatly placed chairs behind it.

The 'pops' of apparating guest signaled every few minutes queuing Lily in on how soon it was about to start. Dumbledore had placed a special apparation charm upon the invitations (the invitations that would only work for those truly invited) that allowed them to enter Hogwarts through apparation.

"This seat taken?" a deep voice asked in her ear. Lily jumped, but immediately calmed once she realized it was James. "You left in quite a hurry this morning, I missed you." He spoke nuzzling his nose into her neck.

"I missed you too," she said grinning. Lily grabbed his arm and pulled her into the seat beside her. They were in the very front row and James was placed on the end closest to the isle. "Do you like it?" she said gesturing to the simple display.

"It's wonderful," he said smiling.

"Do you think she'll like it?" she asked getting worried again.

"She'll love it, I promise."

Lily smiled at how easily James calmed her down. There had been quite a few stressful moments that had occurred where all she wanted was him by her side. The heat radiated from him sitting beside her cleared her mind.

She looked in front of her and saw Frank talking with Dumbledore at the arch. He looked nervous, but his eyes were sparkling with happiness. Dumbledore was preforming the marriage, something Lily was excited to hear.

"Not bad, Sunshine."

She turned to see Sirius sitting to her left with Marlene next to him. He was dressed smartly in dress robes just as James was with a red and gold tie around his neck. She smiled and moved her hand to flatten down his hair that seemed to be sticking up everywhere.

"Just woke up?" she asked him with a laugh.

Remus, who was sitting on the other side of Marlene, leaned over. His eyes twinkled with mirth. Lily could just tell that something embarrassing had happened to Sirius.

"Actually," Remus started. Sirius shot him a look.

"Don't you dare," he spoke somewhat menacingly. Lily laughed, but her laughter soon died when soft music started playing.

The heads of all present (mainly Order members and the few family members that Frank and Alice had) swiveled to see Alice walking down their makeshift isle with a bouquet of baby blue flowers in her hands. The flowers matched the color of her eyes. She looked beautiful.

While Lily's hands sported several harsh burns and cuts, the dress had received no blemish and looked exactly as Alice had drawn on that pad of yellow paper (without the yellow of course). Lily's heart swelled with pride for one of her best friends. It was Alice's day and Lily couldn't be happier for her. She felt James place his hand on her shoulder as the two watched Alice walk slowly. Her hands seemed shaky and her eyes teary, but all could tell it was a happy nervous.

"You…you did that Lily?" James whispered in her ear.

"I have the battle scars to prove it too." She said displaying her hands. His eyes filled with concern. He picked both them up and placed his lips softly upon them. The burning that had previously filled them melted for a few glorious moments.

"You're amazing," he whispered into her hands.

"I love you, James."

"I love you too, Lily."

It was then that Alice reached the alter and Lily's smile couldn't have been wider.

##########

**I love this chapter a lot and I hope you do too! The last little section was my favorite to write :). Please review and tell me what you think! P.S. sorry for all my grammar mistakes!**

**-Sweets5236**


	17. Registration

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"Today's the day," Lily whispered flattening James' hair down best should could. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach his head "Are you nervous?" she asked him finally falling back on her feet.

The small bathroom shown with light as the sun peaked out from behind the clouds for the first time in weeks making the evergreen walls seem cheery and the florescent muggle light bulbs seem cheep. It had snowed on Halloween the few days earlier making the sunshine heartily welcomed by all.

James turned towards the mirror to see how her handiwork and he instantly pulled a face at the sight of hair slicked like that. It was, frankly, quite disturbing to him and he couldn't help but break into loud laughter.

"Lily, it's horrible," he spoke between breaths while touching it with his hand. The muggle product she had smeared through it came off sticky on his hands.

It reminded James of his first day at Hogwarts. He had woken up excited and full of adrenaline as was expected for an eleven year old about to go off to school and learn magic. He had already had his dad to charm the sheet of his bed red and gold, as he was sure that he was going to be in Gryffindor. James knew he'd have been devastated if he weren't.

He had grown up around Gryffindors after all. Both his parents and his two sets of grandparents had been in the house of bravery and courage. They were his favorite people and he wanted nothing more to be like them in at least _some _way. All of his life James had strived to make those he loved proud of him, he figured that getting into Gryffindor would be the best thing yet.

His mom had of course made him his favorite breakfast of bacon and sausage with toast seeing as it was his special day. The whole time he ate it she was eyeing his messy hair calculatingly in a way that made James slow down just a bit. It was a bit unnerving really, the way she had been looking at him, James could still remember her exact expression to that day.

As soon as every bit of food had been cleaned off of his plate his mother had latched onto his hand and practically dragged him to the upstairs bathroom before pulling him in front of a mirror. The whole order of events had happened in a matter of seconds leaving him a bit shocked. The drowsiness he had felt from just waking up had worn off quickly because of it.

"Oh, Jamesie," she had said sighing starting to run her fingers through his inky black locks.

"Mum, stop touching my hair," he remembered speaking, being quite annoyed too.

"Look at it!" she exclaimed finally extracting her hands, it had poofed up even more.

"So? Dad says it's a curse, there ain't nothing we can do about it."

"Isn't anything, darling, remember that," she corrected his bad grammar.

"That's besides the point, Mum, it's a curse."

"Well, I might have an idea," she spoke getting that look in her eyes again. The looked worried the eleven-year old James just a bit. "_Accio_ muggle gel!" she spoke waving her wand.

A shiny purple bottle was soon zooming out of her room and into her hands. She glanced at the label along with James. The bottle had read 'to tame the hair of even a lion!' He remembered laughing at how absurd the bottle look, but his laughter had quickly disappeared when his mom squeezed a blob of the thick and gooey substance onto the palm of her hands.

"Ready, Jamie?"

"No, not really. Listen, we're going to be late, I should probably get going," he spoke as he began to slowly back out the door.

"Nope, not so fast, Buddy," his mom exclaimed as she pulled him back into the bathroom.

Before he knew what was happening she took the huge glob of gel and smeared it all over his head. Since Dorea had never used muggle hair gel before she ended up placing about five times the amount needed upon her son's hair making it greasy and sticky on impact then hard as a rock the next second.

In the end James ended up pleading with his dad to charm the icky gel off of his hair a few seconds before he had gotten on the red train that was to take him to school. His dad agreed that the stuff was horrendous and quickly followed his son's wishes making James' hair arrange itself messily upon his head once more.

It was a fond memory in reality. James' parents were getting older and they definitely weren't going to get any younger. He suspected they'd pass on soon, his heart ached with sadness at that thought, but a spot of happiness was also within him because he knew that they'd die a natural death.

James snapped out of his thoughts and once again looked into the mirror in front of him. Yes, he decided, the style looked a lot better than when his mum had tried it, but it was no less hideous. He couldn't help but laugh out loud. Lily seemed to find the slick hairstyle she had created equally hilarious.

"You're right, completely and utterly right," she said laughing along beside him before waving her wand to get rid of the gel and reaching up to ruffle it back into place.

"Better," she muttered. "Now tell me, are you nervous or not, James?" she said becoming serious. "Be honest with me."

"Nervous? Me? Lily, you should know better," he said chuckling.

"No fooling me, Jamie, I can see it in your eyes," she said shaking her head with a small smile.

"I tried," he spoke with a shrug while tugging on her smooth curls.

He grabbed her hand tightly in his and pulled her down the stairs, she was quick to turn off the light as he did so.

"What do you think comes next?" she asked him as the two shut their front door behind them. Lily turned around and muttered the required charms to keep their home safe.

"Graduation first and then it's like we'll be on Order missions every day I'm guessing. Who knows! They might even put us to paper work!"

"That would be disappointing," she said with a frown.

"Definitely," he spoke before spinning on his heel with her hand clutched tight in his.

It was a few seconds before the air grabbing, sucking, squeezing, distorting, pulling feeling passed. Lily wobbled a bit as they landed upon the sidewalk next to the public Ministry entrance and James gripped her upper arm to steady her.

"We _really_ need to set up our floo network," she said shaking the nausea out.

"Sirius and I will do it one day soon…hopefully."

"Yeah, you better."

James smiled down at her and the two squished into the telephone booth. Soon they were pushing through the crowd of witches and wizards trying to get to their offices. It wasn't long until they were riding the lurching elevators to the Auror Office.

It was graduation day. They had completed their three months of training yet those who made it through the course felt far less than prepared. They had already entered the real world, but they were about to take that entering to a new level by becoming aurors. They were going to be targeted and those who weren't needed to save those who were.

As soon as James and Lily entered the Auror Office they were pulled aside by Moody and handed two thick packets of paper, one each. His expression appeared grim, as always, but more so than usual.

"Change of plan, Potters, you're going to have to fill these out in the next five minutes. I guess you didn't get the memo."

"What memo?" Lily asked suddenly scared to look down and see what was in her hands.

"You can't graduate unless you fill it out so you better start now," he said not answering her question. They two watched him walk off without a single glance over his shoulder.

Lily looked down and what she saw instantly flared up anger that she hadn't felt since their last Order meeting a week ago. The anger from the meeting was the very same thing she was feeling in that moment because the packet of papers sitting in both of their hands was the registration that was required within he month. The registration that would give away everything about them and their friends and family.

"I was hoping we'd be able to push this off longer," James said with a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair.

"I guess not," Lily whispered.

The couple didn't look up until they heard the voice of Sirius fill their little corner. Remus, Alice, Marlene, and Frank were close behind him and looked excited to finally graduate from the harsh drills that had been their training.

"Why the long faces?" he asked.

"Didn't get the memo, Sirius?" James asked holding up the packet for the others to see.

"Stupid Voldemort," Sirius muttered as he saw what it was. "Where's ours?" he asked motioning to the others.

"Right here, Black," Moody said gruffly as he came up behind them with all of the packets. "Fill them out quick."

##########

As Remus looked down at the form in his hands that he was supposed to fill out he instantly paled. It had all just hit him, what registering would mean. He'd have to list everything including his _afflictions_. He'd considered himself extremely lucky when he was given the opportunity to become an auror; he had no idea what was going to happen next, however. Thoughts flew around his head with the speed of a cyclone and his heart began to race as all the horrible things that could happen came to mind.

A hand was placed on his shoulder at that moment and he hastily calmed. Remus turned to see Lily looking up at him with concern in her emerald eyes. He took in her appearance and nearly smiled at the effort she had put into the graduation. Her usually twisting and spiraling curls were now coiled to perfection and she seemed to be wearing a new set of dress robes that were a nice cream color. Her expression however looked scared and worried. The mere thought that she felt as he did shushed several of his outrageous fears.

Lily had always had that calming affect on him. After all, the two had been mates since before the Marauders were even _thought_ about. It was effortless to be calmed by Lily because she understood what the world was like, she was quick thinking and if she thought the incomparable thing to do was stay calm and collected, it likely was.

"You're looking pale, Remus," she spoke standing on her tiptoes to place the back of her hand upon his forehead. "Oh, you boys have gotten too tall, my toes are starting to hurt." She said once she landed back on her feet after her assessment. He chuckled quietly. "Sit down with me, yeah?"

Remus nodded and the two took seats on the hard tiled ground, it was cold and smooth beneath his hands and a little more fear left him. He looked down at the form and flipped through several of the pages. Moody and Dumbledore had already filled out his achievements in school and his training; he suspected the other's achievements would be filled out for them as well.

Remus studied the loopy scrawl of his old headmaster and the current leader of the Order of the Phoenix, glancing over the words that the man had written about him. The words _courageous_, _kind-hearted_, and _profusely intelligent_ leapt off the page at him. There was one phrase, however, that shocked him the most. _Wise to the pain and cruelty of the world and fate, Remus is one of the most experienced men in that category I have yet to meet_. Wise to pain and cruelty, it had said. Remus had never thought of it that way. It had always been a curse not…experience and wisdom as Dumbledore had put it.

He took a fleeting glimpse at the area surrounding him and wasn't actually all that surprised to see that the others had taken seats beside them. His courage awakened as he gained a dash of renewed confidence. He was nearly paralyzed with fear and discouragement, but he had the strength to fill out the papers despite it. If that wasn't being a Gryffindor he didn't know what was.

##########

Lily, just as Remus, had instantaneously flipped to the already filled achievements page that practically begged for her perusal. It wasn't that she wanted to read her own praise; she just needed a little boost to push her up before she filled the rest of the document out.

Instead of reading Dumbledore's comments and notes on herself, she eyes floated somewhat instinctively to what Moody had written about her. He wasn't one to hand out any sort of compliment and she was curious to know what he really thought of her. His scrawl was messy and slanted to the right, all capitals. _Tough as nails for the most part, but for the other part she cares too much and it's going to get her killed one-day. All that love and emotion is going to cloud her judgment. She's smart as heck though, I can tell you that. It's going to take Voldemort himself to off her, she can kick butt with a wand. _Kick butt with a wand? Lily nearly laughed out loud at Moody's wording. It was just like him and the assurance she craved was delivered.

She looked to the first question. _Occupation?_ The registration was going to be a piece of cake; it was the consequences that were going to make the road tough.

##########

Sirius, unlike Lily and Remus, just wanted to get that ludicrous registration packet out of his hands. He could practically feel the paper burning the tips of his fingers and after a few seconds he concluded that glaring at it wasn't going to make it go away.

With a sigh, he picked up the quill he was given and began writing down the answers to the questions as fast as humanly possible. It was certainly the easiest test he had ever taken in his life. In a minute flat all he had left was the back page. He was surprised though to see that it had already been filled out. He instantly recognized the handwriting of the two wizards and decided that it might be worth his while to read what they had to say about him.

_Fiercely loyal with a nearly trademarked knack of getting into trouble_, Dumbledore had written in one of his sentences. Sirius shook his head with a small smile, nothing new, he decided. It was what Moody had to say that really interested him. _He's a sarcastic little idiot with no knowledge of what the words 'respect' and 'quiet' mean, there must be a brain in him somewhere though because he nearly got a hundred on all of his NEWTS. His extreme hate for death eaters will do him some good in the world I'll admit I though._

Sirius' small grin grew wider. He always knew Moody had a soft spot for him. Who didn't really? He just considered himself a likeable person. It was either because he was devilishly handsome or practically a genius, whatever the ladies liked more actually. That's just who he was.

##########

_Sweet and logical with an awoken vigor during battle_, Alice read. Dumbledore had her down pretty well, she had decided. Just that one sentence pretty much summed up who she was yet there was about a dozen more accompanying it. She didn't even _want_ to read what Moody had written though. He had never liked her; he had always said she was too soft. She didn't blame him, however, she _was_ soft. Moody just hadn't seen her whooping death eater butt. She was quite good at it really.

Sometimes Alice worried she wouldn't be enough to be an auror or a member of the Order. She wasn't strong in any way (meaning she had absolutely no upper body strength), she wasn't particularly a genius unlike Lily and three of the four Marauders, and she wasn't _brilliant_ at dueling either.

What Alice didn't know was that she didn't need those things to be great. She was great because she had compassion, which gave her the perspective that a lot of people did not even think about possessing. It gave her her own special type of knowledge. Alice was humble too though, which is why she didn't exactly see the advantages she carried over some others. She'd learn though, now matter how humble she was. After all, she was a Gryffindor and all Gryffindors were a little arrogant sometimes.

##########

Frank, who was sitting beside Alice didn't even look at what Professor Dumbledore and Moody had written about him. He simply didn't wish to know. He wanted to discover his strengths and weaknesses himself, not be told by a piece of parchment. It was what he needed, really. Frank hadn't figured out who he was supposed to be or what his purpose was in life. He had never really had especially trying experience (besides battle with death eaters that were practically _common_) so he decided that when the time came for him to know how much it would take him to break, he'd know.

He filled out the registration packet carefully, considering each answer he put, being honest, but not completely. He wanted to keep those he loved safe so he only put the obvious. He left the not so obvious a mystery. Frank was as scared as the rest wanting only to get it over with just as Sirius. He was nearly emotionless as he wrote the answers down in his nearly perfect handwriting. It wasn't until he answered the last question that he really began to get worried.

##########

Marlene sat in front of her registration packet for a full three minutes. It wasn't until Sirius' hand brushed across her own that she was snapped out of her frozen state. She looked up into his eyes and say them filled to the brim with support and…and maybe even love.

He slid her packet in front of his crossed legs and lightly took her quill from her hand. He filled out her occupation, birthday, and parent's names easily. As soon as he got to the more complicated questions she scooted closer to him and whispered the answers in his ear softly. She took a deep breath between each answer she gave and somehow made it through to the last page. The last page, however, was done for her.

Her eyes greedily scanned the words and she saw everything there on that page that made her who she was. It wasn't her birthday or her job or address that gave Marlene her personality, it was those around her and all she had learned. Everything that she really was had been written by both Moody and Dumbledore on the very back. In that moment she couldn't be more proud of herself.

##########

_Profusely brave_. Blah, Blah, Blah. _ Clever and quick-witted_. Blah, Blah, Blah. _Willing to go the extra mile and do anything for those he loves_. Blah, Blah, Blah. James didn't feel particularly brave or quick witted as he read through what Dumbledore and Moody had written about him once he finished filling out the registration.

He had concluded that the world expected too much out of him. They expected so much that soon he would likely combust. He had his friends and family though. He had Lily who was his everything. She was his sunshine when he woke up and his stars when he went to sleep. She was always there with a kiss on his cheek that made his heart race (something he was a bit embarrassed of) or with a hand to hold in his own. She would be there when he finally collapsed with the world's expectations on top of him. It was what kept him going everyday.

There were Sirius, Remus, Frank, Alice, and Marlene too. Two of which had been with him all through school while the other three where just as amazing. He had never in his life expected to be such great friends with Alice Prewitt (now Longbottom) or Marlene McKinnon in his life. Sure, he'd known Marlene since he was little, but she had always been the annoying little girl with the brown curls that played on his broomsticks. They were all brilliant though.

That was what he thought about as he finally completed his entire registration packet. How he had the most brilliant support group in history and how everything was about to change.

##########

** This is officially my new favorite chapter. Why? Because I got to write about what ALL my major characters were feeling in this ONE chapter and it actually flowed nicely and had a cool affect! I'll admit, I despise the beginning up until they get to the Ministry because it seems cheesy, but ah well, the rest makes up for it :). TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK PRETTY PLEASE! P.S. I know, my grammar is horrible, IT WILL BE FIXED LATER!**

**-Sweets5236**


	18. Werewolves

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**This chapter is dedicated to PotterNinja for being the hundredth viewer! Yay! Congrats and I'm super sorry it took me so long to post it (this hundredth review was from a while ago). THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!**

**##########**

"Ready to finally be employed?" Lily asked James, squeezing his hand tightly in her own.

"Because of course we don't have enough money," he said rolling his eyes good humoredly. Lily smacked his arm lightly.

"Don't get arrogant on me now, Mister," she spoke patronizingly.

"Just kidding, Dearest," he said with an overly large grin.

"Oh really, Honey?"

"Is Honey the best you can do, Darling?"

"Honey Bear."

"Firecracker."

"Hunksicle."

"You know what? I give up, this reminds me too much of seventh year," James finally said before walking up behind her to hug her around the waist.

"It reminds me _exactly_ of seventh year actually," Lily said with a laugh, leaning into his embrace.

Her heart panged with a not long forgotten rush of memories flowing heavily into her mind. Memories of making Dumbledore snowman outside Hagrid's hut and walking down the halls with Sirius and James standing close on either side with the others not far behind. She missed it. That had been the first time Lily had actually admitted it, however. Despite how broken and _weak_ she might have been, she missed the closeness. She missed walking down to breakfast to see Sirius and Marlene bickering and Remus with his head in a book while Alice stared longingly at Frank over Peter.

It had been….comforting. Knowing that they were just a hallway away or that they would be close when she woke up. They weren't anymore though. They were a block away to the nearest apparation point and it honestly hurt Lily more than she let on. James was always there though and, sometimes, he'd see it in her eyes. The longing for the safety and security of Hogwarts and all it held. It didn't take away from what they had though. The electricity still crackled between them as it had during school. The fights were just as upscale and dramatic, but now they ended in 'I'm sorry' hugs and kisses. What James decided was best was if he just held her whenever he could to let her know that it would be all right.

"You two sicken me," a voice suddenly said behind them. Lily turned her head a bit to see Sirius sauntering forward having just turned his registration form in to Moody.

"You know you love it, Padfoot," James teased.

"Not likely," he replied pulling a face. "So how is this all going to work?"

"Just like graduation, I'm guessing," James said with a frown after realizing that he didn't really know.

"Pshhh, as if I know what graduation was like, I was _sleeping_," he scoffed. Lily rolled her eyes. "They're going to get stuck like that, Sunshine," Sirius said looking her in the eyes.

"Honestly, Sirius, how many times have you told me that? They aren't stuck yet which is quite an accomplishment,"

"You can't say I didn't warn you," he said with a shrug. "Anyway, how's this graduation things going to work out? I'm getting tired of my question being ignored."

"I'm _sure_, Padfoot," Remus drawled as he strode up to the group. Remus was pale, as usual, but his usual humor filled amber eyes appeared dull and lifeless.

"If you're so confident Mr. Moony, why don't you tell me?" Sirius said slinging an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"_If_ one were to graduate they'd wait in a line in alphabetical order with the others. _If_ they met full requirements and…and wellness levels…they'd advance one by one to receive a diploma of sorts. _If_ they get to do this they are then sworn into the Auror Office. _If_ they get to do that they are officially an auror and start fighting the death eaters…or doing paperwork depending on luck. _If_ they let you even graduate," he spoke accenting each 'if' far more than needed. His tone became angrier and angrier with each word.

The four were silent for a few minutes as Lily scanned Remus' mind. She nearly felt guilty for intruding on his privacy like that, but something was seriously wrong. While Lily couldn't quite see images or thoughts of those she scanned yet, she could blatantly see, and feel, the emotions. Remus was furious and wanted justice, buried beneath the burning hatred, however, was just a touch of fear. Lily squeezed her eyes shut for a second and took a deep breath. His emotions were definitely stronger than those she had scanned before and it nearly gave her a headache.

She looked him over once more. His previously well-groomed hair was sticking up on his head and the early wrinkles he had earned due to the pain of his transformations shown obviously on his face. What it was she didn't yet know, but she was going to figure it out. Lily stepped out from James' arms and reached a hand out to Remus, he flinched away as soon as she was within an inch of him. His eyes flashed dangerously.

"Remus…are you…okay?" Lily asked cautiously while trying to read him. His scowl deepened.

"Just dandy," he spat.

"Don't play games with me, Remus Lupin," she pushed glaring.

"I'm wonderful really, why shouldn't I be?" he spoke sarcastically.

"I hate to be so blunt, but you aren't looking so wonderful," she scoffed.

"Yeah, you're looking a bit pale there, Moony, more than usual at least," Sirius put in. Lily shot him an angry glance before grabbing Remus by the upper arm and dragging him down an empty hallway off to the side of the trainee room.

"Lily if you don't let go of my arm in the next five seconds," he started, practically seething.

Lily had only seen like that a few times in her life. It scared her, but only because Remus was her friend. He was calm and intellectual and he always thought before he acted. When he didn't think, however, Lily only felt the need to help him.

"What Remus? What will you do?" she spoke, her anger building up inside of her. "Stop pouting like a little kid and tell me what's wrong!" she exclaimed throwing her arms up.

"It's not that easy," he spoke angrily looking to the thinly carpeted floor they were standing on.

"Not that easy? It actually is, Remus, it's just speaking a few words, just moving your mouth."

"Lily, you wouldn't understand," he started looking back up and making eye contact with her.

He could practically see her thoughts blowing around in her mind; her guard was down for the first time in months. Although Remus didn't know Occlumency, he could plainly see what Lily was feeling. Those emerald eyes of hers were like a looking glass into her soul. She felt untrusted and annoyed and scared and it was all because of him. For a second he almost felt guilty, but then he once again remembered what had happened mere minutes ago.

"Tell me Remus, please," she whispered looking up at him.

They became silent. Just looking at each other for the longest time. Remus was debating with himself and Lily was just hoping the trust the two once held for each other was still there somewhere inside of him.

It was another reason why she missed Hogwarts so much. Their relationships were fading. She could barley remember the last time she played the question game with Sirius. Remus no longer confided in her how bad the full moons had been. Marlene never told Lily stories of dates she went on and Alice no longer spoke of what new recipes she was going to _attempt_ to cook. They were falling apart and the worst part was that Lily felt she was the only one who was noticing it.

"I can't graduate," Remus' soft voice finally spoke. "I can't be an auror…I'm not going to be able to get a job." Her eyes widened.

"Why?"

"The registration…afflictions," he said as if it would explain everything. Lily was only confused.

"What do you mean? What does that have to do with becoming an auror?"

"Moody's been looking out for me, Lily. No one knew, the Ministry. They had it on file, but never checked up on those who were to graduate, Moody's covered all he could up best he could," he rambled.

"Remus, just say it."

"I'm a werewolf Lily, you know that and now they do to."

It suddenly all clicked into place. Why Remus had been so angry and all he had been babbling on about. They weren't going to let him become an auror because he was a werewolf. It was the first impact the registration had on them and it had only taken a mere couple minutes.

"T-they can't do that!" Lily screeched. "That's unfair and vile and cruel and despicable and…and…"

"They can do it, Lily! They did!" Remus spoke sliding down the wall he was leaning against to sit on the floor. Lily stayed standing above him and began pacing.

"B-but you went through all the training! They saw nothing wrong with that? How can they think they can just…just lead you on like that! You're capable and they need all the support they can get! Not many people wish to fight death eaters you know. Were they even thinking?" she spoke making wild hand gestures.

"I wasn't supposed to train, Lily," he spoke placing his face in his hands. She froze mid-pace.

"What?"

"Moody was covering for me, Lily, didn't you hear?"

Lily's already large frown deepened. She finally sighed and sat down beside him before placing her head on his shoulder. He tensed a bit before relaxing just as quickly. Another sigh escaped her lips and she closed her eyes for a moment. They didn't open again until she heard the sound of familiar footsteps. She looked up to see James looking down on them with a concerned expression.

"Careful Remus, wouldn't want to lose an arm there," James joked seeing Lily's head lying on his shoulder. Lily could see he trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't exactly work. "Is everything okay?"

"Not really," Remus said, his face still in his hands. James took the moment to sit beside Lily.

"James?" she said, trying to get his attention. He looked over questioningly. "I think it's time we have one of our famous camp outs."

"I think you're right."

##########

"Do you think I got enough blankets, Lils?" James hollered through the house. Lily walked into the room to see a bunch of blankets piled up in front of the couch.

Remus didn't graduate. Lily, James, Sirius, Marlene, Alice, and Frank did. They were aurors. The only problem was that their friend wasn't. He was jobless and all knew he would be for a very long time. Everyone was going to go to the Potter's though and they'd talk and laugh just like at Hogwarts. That was the plan at least.

"Yeah James, I'm sure," she said with a small laugh.

"Lily, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to help him."

"He won't be able to get a job."

"We have money, James, weren't you saying so just this morning?"

"He isn't going to except it."

"He's going to have to, James."

"He'll want to handle himself!" he said angrily getting frustrated.

"He can't get a job! WE NEED TO HELP HIM, JAMES!"

"Lily! Don't you think we need to talk to him about this first?"

"You said yourself that he isn't going to except it! WHAT ELSE ARE WE TO DO?"

"I KNOW, LILY. He's my best friend!" James yelled. He froze realizing how stupid what they were arguing about was. They just wanted to help/].

"Oh James, I'm so sorry," Lily finally spoke moving to sit on the floor. "I'm so scared. For Remus…and for everyone."

He moved forward to sit next to her. Without a word he placed an arm around her shoulder. She automatically snuggled deeper into him and squeezed her eyes closed tighter.

"I'm so, so, so, so sorry, James," she spoke steadily. He placed a hand on her head and smoothed her wild curls, taking in the strawberry shampoo he was so very used to smelling in her hair. It didn't quite match the scent of the large strawberry patch they had, but it was close.

"No, Lily, you're right. We need to help him whether he excepts it or not."

"Poor Remus, he doesn't deserve this."

"We can't pity him, Lily, we can only try to make him stronger."

"I don't think Remus can get much stronger, James. He's one of the bravest people I know."

"You know what? I think you're right."

##########

**Lots of drama in this chapter as well as in the next one (once I write it) :). I've finally grown some confidence and am really proud of this chapter so I hope all of you liked it. Sorry for the bad grammar, I still haven't had time to edit **_**anything**_** in any of the chapters and I feel **_**really**_** guilty. Stupid science fair haha. Oh and I want to apologize for those of you who reviewed the last chapter. My email's being stupid so I was unable to find out who reviewed so I wasn't able to give anyone the proper thanks, so THANK YOU! You guys rock! **

**-Sweets5236**


	19. Moved Out

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"Hello Potter's," Sirius said, downcast, as he walked into the Potter's home with a pillow clutched tightly in his arm.

"Hello, Snicker doodle," Lily spoke with a small smile.

He glanced around at the living room in front of him and his heart lifted just a little at the sight of all the blankets piled up on the floor. Maybe they could all just forget that they had really bad luck when it came to life for a little while. While he'd never admit it, Sirius _did_ miss all those times back at Hogwarts falling asleep in a pile in the Room of Requirement or the head's common room together.

He missed the security of it all, the reassurance that it brought. Sirius had more fears than he let on and the one that bothered him the most was one that could very well occur. Sirius was scared of being alone. He practically saw a red target painted upon the foreheads of everyone he loved. The chance for one to get hit by a killing curse while shopping was frightening. The chance for one to get by a killing curse in battle made society weep. It was nearly inevitable that he'd lose those who were most important to him if the war didn't die down soon. He'd never say it though. He was the one who was supposed to smile and crack jokes.

Sirius fit into the friendship of the Marauder's as being the one to lift the moods of those around him. Remus was logical, erasing the potentially dangerous from their minds when he felt the need to. James was he one with the answers, the one to speak up about what he actually felt. Peter, despite his generally shy demeanor, was actually quite good with strategy, knowing how to make the outcome of things in his favor. Lily, Alice, and Marlene balanced them all out, being the ones who genuinely cared for them enough to put up with their antics. It meant more to the Marauders than the girls understood. They could be gone though; all of them with two deadly words and a flash of hauntingly green light.

He didn't think of that, however, because he knew he'd break if he did and his job was to keep smiling. It was always there, however, plaguing the back of his mind. He knew it would never go away until all were safe, but he didn't know if there was a chance of that happening.

Sirius looked down into Lily's crystal green eyes and saw the same fear there. At least he wasn't alone. It was but a small comfort however, no more than a single flashlight in a world of darkness. Sirius was stuck in the darkness at that moment, but he was astute enough to apprehend that he'd find himself out in the end, he always did. It was the only beacon of hope that he could hold onto, as depressing as it sounds.

He let this sadness inside of him show for Lily in that moment, needing someone to care. He'd make the smile reappear for James and Remus and Alice and Marlene and Frank, but Lily could handle it.

"Reality getting to you too?" Lily asked putting a hand lightly on his shoulder. Some of his anger and worry melted a bit at her touch.

Lily was naturally calming, something he had tried to figure out all through his school years. It had been hard not to notice Lily Evans with James having constantly been pinning after her. She was different. She reacted differently in situations than he would have thought someone who seemed so cold-hearted would have. Cold and heartless…how wrong he had been. Of course Sirius had been young and naïve, labeling Lily Evans as a heartless demon because she broke his best friend's heart…multiple times.

She would surprise him though and he was constantly wondering what he was missing in the equation that told him who she was. Lily had stumped him. Sirius was a natural at people reading and not many could confuse him. It wasn't until his seventh year that he discovered Lily Evans actually cared. She cared about James as much as she did school work, if not more, and she cared about the happiness of those around her more than she did the happiness of herself. She had been strong so much of her life that when he parents had passed she, for the best of words, broke. It made him realize how human she really was. Lily Evans, who was pro at biting sarcasm and becoming the teacher's pet.

"Something like that."

"Well hopefully we can escape from reality for just a bit tonight, just like a Hogwarts. Lots of food and cheesy jokes, yeah?" she said, her eyes twinkling brightly. Sirius' frown turned into a small smile that instantly made Lily feel better.

"Anything with food sounds great to me," he spoke softly, that small smile still on his face, before tossing his pillow on the floor and meandering over to the kitchen to talk to James.

He walked in to find James slouched in a chair next to the table, face in his hands. He barley looked up when Sirius walked into the room, with only a small nod to even acknowledge him. Sirius wordlessly sat in the chair beside him.

"So this is how it's going to be, Prongs? We're going to mope around until Moony gets a job?" he said trying to crack at least a small smile from his friend. It didn't work and James' head stayed in his hands.

"Talk to me, James," Sirius nearly pleaded. He finally looked up.

"I have the same question, though a little different. Is this how it's going to be?" James asked. Sirius looked at him, confused.

"What?"

"Life? Is this how life's going to be now? Constantly worrying and being afraid?"

"Not if we don't want it to be," Sirius spoke wisely, nearly surprising James.

"Wow Padfoot, didn't think you had it in you," James spoke chuckling.

"Thanks, buddy, that makes me feel good," Sirius said, laughing alongside him. "But in all seriousness," James' grin widened.

"Seriousness," he said snickering.

Sirius nearly grimaced. The Sirius/serious joke, how many times had that been used before? It made him feel a bit better though and brought his mind back to his Hogwarts years. He had always been the one to crack that particular joke though. Remus had never encouraged and James merely snickered. Hearing from James was somewhat comical.

"Don't even go there," he said shaking his head with a chuckle. "But you know I'm right."

"It's all what we make it isn't it,"

"Exactly," Sirius said clapping him on the back.

James became silent for a moment and the two simply stared at the worn wooden table before them. It had been a hand-me-down from James' parents. They had insisted that they wanted nothing lavish and as the days had gone by him and Lily had grown a habit of scratching little pictures into the table. Various smile-y faces and flying snitches covered the table along with more…creative pieces of work Lily had done. Lily's pictures of the Marauders, Alice, Frank, and Marlene along with herself were the attention drawers as they were amazing. Just as amazing as the picture of light on paper Lily had given James. They were amazingly realistic and made all who saw them smile. James suddenly broke the silence.

"Lily's been talking about starting a family,"

"That's…that's great, Prongs," Sirius said.

A family. It all hit him then, how grown up they all really were. He had forgotten James and Lily were married and that Alice and Frank were too. It made him feel slightly guilty and an image of Marlene popped into his head. His friends were getting married and he and Marlene had barely even confirmed that they were dating, something as big as _marriage _had barely even crossed his mind.

James and Lily though, they wanted little James and Lily's running around their house and drawing on the walls with Lily's muggle crayons. They wanted kids to send off to Hogwarts and kids to tell the story of the Marauders too. Lily had told him how scared she was though, had asked him if it was safe to raise a kid in the world they were in. He honestly didn't know though, what their world would do to a little girl with red pigtails or a little boy with messy black hair. James' voice brought him out of his thoughts though.

"Not now though, not even soon. She wants to wait, as long as she has to to make sure they have a good life, she's been thinking about this a lot."

"As she should be. It's a big deal, Prongs."

"I know, that's what scares me."

"As far as I know being scared is _perfectly_ normal."

"It better be."

##########

Lily sighed and took a seat on the couch as soon as Sirius went into the kitchen. She curled her feet up underneath her and laid her head up against the back of her seat. She closed her eyes slowly and breathed in deeply, calming her worried thoughts and silencing her fears for a few glorious moments. She was an auror, something she had strived to be with all she believed in. Why didn't she feel like it was a good thing though?

In all reality she knew what it was. She just didn't want to admit it, as the rest of the new aurors didn't. You see, she wasn't the only one that felt the way she did. The glamour was gone, the feeling that she could make a difference being an auror. Why? The ministry wasn't the same. The registration was proof that something was wrong, that Voldemort's influence in the British ministry was steadily rising if not fully present. Aurors couldn't very well be sent to fight death eaters if death eaters where the ones employing them. Lily saw much paperwork being done in her future.

At least there was the Order, however. She could always count on them as moving towards the _Light_. Sometimes she figured the Order was the only thing that gave her faith in the world, Dumbledore most of all. He was calm, constantly so and it gave her hope that he actually knew what he was doing or that he, _at least_, had a decent plan that would help them.

As she thought through all if this she became a little more reassured by the moment, her heavy breathing become steady and her previous headache fading just as slowly. A lone tear, one she did not understand the meaning of slipped down her cheek and she nearly smiled. It was going to be okay, as clichéd as it sounded, she could feel it.

"Oh don't cry, Lily Petal," a familiar voice sounded in front of her. Lily's eyes fluttered open to see Marlene standing in front of her with a sad smile on her face. Lily swiped at the tears slowly streaking down her face and smiled back.

"No, Marley, they're…I don't know what kind of tears they are, but they aren't bad."

Marlene nodded in understanding and took a seat close to Lily, wrapping an arm around her best friend's shoulder while she was at it. Lily lay her head on Marlene's shoulder and sighed.

"Marlene, you're the best," she said shutting her eyes.

"I know Sweetie, so tell me, what's on your mind?"

"Just about everything."

"That's understandable," she said nodding. "Is Remus coming?"

"I made him promise," Lily said with a small smile. "He won't get away that easy,"

"Oh, I'm sure," Marlene spoke with a chuckle.

"Oh Marlene," Lily sighed. "The world is in a pretty big mess right now."

"No kidding," Marlene said sighing along with her.

"What are we going to do?"

"Honey, I thought we already talked about this, we're going to kick some death eater butt and not back down! Face the world fighting, right? It's what he said we'd do, did that mean nothing?"

Lily nodded in understanding. Marlene was right. She needed to start thinking and stop moping. She needed to help Remus who was jobless, Sirius who was desperately trying to hide how discouraged he was, Alice who would need marriage advice, Marlene who needed handling Sirius advice, and James who needed her love. She needed all of them as well though. They were what made Lily who she was. They made her laugh and smile and joke and forget for just a little while.

"Face the world fighting," Lily spoke strongly, "You're right, Marley, completely and totally right. We should get off our butts and do something."

"Yeah, I love the enthusiasm, Doll, but lets take it easy tonight, the butt kicking can wait until tomorrow…_at least_."

"Deal," Lily said closing her eyes. She was getting sleepy, but she knew how much she needed to stay awake that particular night. "Let's get up before we," she yawned widely, "…fall asleep."

"That's probably a good idea," Marlene said. She stood and offered a hand to help pull Lily up off the couch. Lily stumbled a bit after standing, but regained her balance quickly.

She motioned for Marlene to follow her and the two made their way to the kitchen where James and Sirius were conversing quietly. James looked up and smiled widely when he saw her walk in, his eyes full of love. Her heart filled and she smiled back equally large. She missed the silent exchange between Sirius and Marlene that was just as heart felt although neither of the two realized it.

"James," Lily greeted him coming and squeezing onto his chair beside him. He wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her.

"Hello, Marley," he said turning to her after kissing Lily on the cheek lovingly.

"Hey James, how are you?"

"Better than I was this morning," he said with a chuckle, "It's amazing what a talk between _men_ could do," he spoke puffing out his chest.

"Men?" A new voice questioned in the doorway. They all turned to see Alice and Frank standing side-by-side. Lily and Marlene laughed a bit while James and Sirius rolled their eyes. "Lily, James, doing good?" she asked them. James shrugged his shoulders and Lily gave a miniscule smile. "And you, Marley, Sirius?"

"I'm _great_," Sirius said with fake enthusiasm.

"I'm sure," Frank spoke shaking his head and pulling Alice to the table to sit with him.

As the group began talking Lily began to worry why Remus hadn't come yet. He was the one that was supposed to be punctual, not the last to arrive. She understood why, however. He must be humiliated. They were gathering together because of him and he was never one for attention. All they wanted to do though was show him their support and Lily didn't believe he understood that.

With a burst of determination she turned towards James and nudged him a bit, causing him to back out of the conversation on the best Marauder pranks that had been pulled. He looked at her imploringly, wondering what was the matter. She leaned close to his ear and nearly giggled when he shivered. She still had that affect on him.

"I'm going to find Remus," she whispered. He nodded after giving her a big smile and she slipped out of her seat with getting nothing more than an encouraging nod from Marlene who had understood where she was going and a squeeze of her hand from James.

#########

"Remus?" she called, bringing her wand out to shine some light into the dark flat. The meager furnishings of the flat came into view "I know you're here!"

She was answered with silence and shook her head at his stubbornness. He must really want to avoid her or something; he was never one to stay cross for long. The eerie silence sent chills down her spine and Lily shook her head, ridding the silly notions that had popped into her mind. She had always been kind of jumpy.

"Remus!" she called out again, finally bathing the room fully in light in order to erase some of her silly fears. More silence ensued.

Lily's frown deepened and she began to worry. Her feet barely made noise as she padded across the carpet to the room she knew to be Remus'. She slowly opened his door, wincing at the creaking sound it made. That sound had always made her shiver and cause the hair on her arms to stand up.

The room she saw was dark and empty. Empty as in the bed that usually sat in the corner was gone along with the desk and chair that usually lined the wall and the pile of blankets usually beside said desk. She blinked a couple times, wondering if she was imagining things. After closing and reopening her eyes a couple times, however, she was met with the same results. The room was empty, swept clean of the usual posters on the walls and books lining the floor. A single piece of stark white parchment had been charmed to the wall. It held two words in clean capital letters, what she instantly recognized as Remus' handwriting.

"MOVED OUT,"

##########

** Bum, bum, BUM. I'M SORRY! It had to happen, it just did. I told you this chapter would be dramatic. The more reviews the more likely Remus will come back! Just kidding haha. Please review and tell me what you liked/disliked about the chapter! I apologize profusely for my grammar, as always. I know, you're all probably tired of it, but if you'd like to point something out I'd be incredibly appreciative :). Thanks so much for your support!**

**-Sweets5236**


	20. He's Gone

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**##########**

Remus Lupin only had one thought on his mind as he traveled down the street by foot. The farther he could get away without apparation the better, he needed all the magical strength he could hold and apparating would only take away some of the essential power he had left. He was becoming weak, his mind shutting his strength down. It was how Remus worked really, on more of an intellectual level. If he told himself he was okay and could stand up the next morning he could. If he told himself that he could last a bit longer in the world he would. His faith, however, was depleting, causing his will to leave with it.

He needed a cure. It seemed the only option so he had left, leaving nothing more than a hurriedly scrawled note upon his wall. He had no idea who the first to see it would be, but there was no doubt in his mind they'd react negatively to it. They felt like they needed to help him, something he appreciated, but didn't want their help. He _needed_ to be independent. He craved the freedom of being able to say he could handle himself, it was another part of why he had left, to know what it was like to be completely, undeniably alone, as he should be. While his theories were flawed it was merely what had been imprinted upon his mind by the wizarding society. He was a monster. He was a threat to people's children. He was meant to be exiled. According to most of the world at least.

It had been easy too leave, so much so that it nearly made him sad. Everyone else would be occupied, he knew, getting his or her things to take to the Potter's. Sirius had been his usual self, shouting through the house for answers to all his questions somewhere along the lines of, "Remus, where's my toothbrush?" or, "Remus, have you seen my pillow lying around?" They had the smallest of conversations before he left and Remus couldn't get his words out of his head.

"Excited to go to the Potter's, Moony? Just like at Hogwarts," Sirius had said, grinning widely at the prospect.

"Somewhat," Remus said dejectedly. He was packing his bags, just as Sirius had been doing, but it wasn't for an overnight trip at James and Lily's.

"You know it's all going to work out, right?" Sirius asked a bit hesitantly.

"Perhaps in the end this will all be a _very_ bad dream," Remus had said rubbing his eyes as if to wake up from said dream.

"I'd hope so, but just in case it isn't you should know we all have your back. Once a Marauder always a Marauder," Sirius had said clapping him on the back. Remus had smiled sadly when the impact of what he was doing hit him.

He was leaving. Who knew when the next time he saw the Marauders, Lily, Alice, Marlene, or Frank again? For some reason he felt like he owed them for being so good to him over the years, but he swiped that thought from his mind when he realized it would only stop him from what he was trying to do; leave. Because of this he answered Sirius' comment the way he thought would best express _everything_. He looked up at the tall boy…man, he realized. Sirius had come a long way from the gawky teenager he had befriended in his first year. Remus remembered always wanting Sirius' roughish looks rather than his scars and pale face.

"_Thank you_," he spoke with as much emotion as he could muster. Sirius grinned and walked out the door, leaving Remus with nothing but his thoughts.

##########

"Remus must be giving her a hard time," Sirius mused after glancing at the muggle clock Lily had placed in the Potter's kitchen. She had been gone for a half hour, much longer than any of them had surmised. James looked to the same clock Sirius was observing, a wash of worry ran over him, but quickly subsided when his sense concluded that Lily could handle herself. She was only getting Remus after all.

If anyone would be able to convince him, it'd be Lily. She was the determined, don't-you-dare-give-me-any-of-your-stubbornness type. For an inkling of a second James considered apparating to Sirius, Remus, and Peter's flat, but then thought it'd be the wrong way to approach the situation. Lily'd have it all under control, he was sure of it and if he tried to intervene who knows what moment he'd walk in on. It could be the very moment Lily was about to convince him to come to their little get-together and he could ruining everything. His best option was to have faith in his wife and hope for the best.

His _wife_. Merely thinking the word brought him extreme euphoria. He didn't think anything could make him happier until Lily mentioned starting a family. That wouldn't be for a long time though, they'd wait as long as they could to give their little baby the world they needed to be in to become great.

"How did they even become friends? I forget," Alice wondered aloud looking thoughtful. "It was much before she even befriended me."

"Lily's clever, much cleverer than any of us were at least. She had Remus figured out before we began even wondering where he went every full moon," James spoke fondly with an unpretentious smile gracing his face.

"Tell us the story, why don't you?" Marlene asked, snacking on some grapes that had been left on the table.

"Lily'd be much better at this," he spoke somewhat humbly.

"She has you whipped man," Sirius said, his bark-like laughter echoing through their home. "That's the first time I'd ever heard you admit someone would be better at something than you." James' face fell a modicum at the comment.

"Lily will always be better than me, it's what I love about her."

The room, once filled with contentment and laughter, became silent as they all pondered James' words. Lily. She was imperfect and flawed, maybe a bit broken still, but she was the best of each of them. She was bravery and will and talent and charm and she accepted that she couldn't do everything. It was what made her great. Marlene knew this perhaps best of all. She was the one always looking to the future. The one speculating at what might happen next. She knew Lily would do marvelous things, she could feel it inside of her.

Lily would do amazing things just as James, Sirius, Remus, Alice, Frank, and perhaps even she would. For some reason she felt they _fit_ into the time they were in. Was it destiny? Marlene didn't necessarily believe in that. She believed in having faith, however, and she believed what her gut told her. They must do well in the world they lived in for a reason. After all they had braved they were sure to at least make it a bit farther.

James was thinking quite what Marlene was, but his train of thought traveled in a similar direction. He contemplated the very theory that not only was Lily better than him, but all the others were as well. They were…incredible. Although he'd never admit it aloud, there were moments James felt worthless. In those moments he saw all of the mistakes he had ever made flash into his head one by one. He had ben cruel, maybe even a bit heartless. It wasn't that James' self esteem wasn't low, however, not by any means. What he wanted was to take it all back and since he couldn't do that he tired best he could to be the kind of person Lily would like him to be, the kind of person he had always wanted to be.

Alice's soft and melodious voice suddenly spoke up, causing them all to jump slightly. "On with the story, James."

"Right," he said she his thoughts out of his head. "The story, you'll help me out here, won't you Sirius?"

"Sure why not?" he said casually as if they all hadn't just been deep in thought.

"If I remember correctly the two had met on the platform before getting onto the train in their first year. She was friends with him before Sirius and I were," James started.

"It's funny really…they could practically be twins the way they act. Both obsessed with studying. Both _way_ too smart for their own goods. Both amusingly sarcastic. Both,"

"Yeah we get it Sirius," Marlene scoffed, ruffling his hair playfully. He scowled deeply at her.

"Not the hair, Marlene, you know how I feel about my hair," he spoke, slightly annoyed as he tried to smooth it back to perfection. James snickered at his friend's almost obsession with his hair.

"As far as I know she kind of cornered him about his…condition in our second year. Remember that week? He avoided her for the longest time, it was a bit funny how he'd act whenever she went near," James said chuckling.

"So _that's_ what was going on," Frank said starting to laugh nearly hysterically. " I specifically remember him bolting in the opposite direction whenever Lily was near. There was this one time when we were on out way down to breakfast and Lily appeared around the corner and he…and he," Frank was shaking with laughter now and could barley continue.

"Frank, cough it up," Alice said starting to laugh herself at his actions. Marlene, James, and Sirius were chuckling beside her, genuinely curious as to what was so incredibly hilarious.

"He tumbled down the stairs, and toppled over Professor McGonagall, he fell right on top of her. I can still remember their faces! He went bright red!"

The room was then filled with bounteous laughter, almost instantly brightening all that was in it. They were happy. Instantaneously, unconditionally happy and it felt brilliant to them after so much time in darkness, in worrying and grief. The only people missing were Lily and Remus.

It was Lily, however, that nearly threw the door off its hinges in that next moment. Tears were streaming down her face for the first time in months, her hair falling out of the neat bun it had once been in, and her baggy shirt slipping off her shoulder. The speed that the room became silent was incredibly; their laughter had stopped as quick as it had come, if not quicker. James and Sirius were already standing before the first words left her mouth.

"He's gone!" she sobbed, "Remus, he left and he's gone and I can't find him! He's gone!"

Everything after that happened in slow motion. Sirius, James, and Frank were running out the door and Marlene and Alice were running to a collapsing Lily. No one really understood what was happening, they just knew that Lily wouldn't cry unless Remus was really gone, unless she didn't think he was coming back.

##########

"Tell me Lily, where did you last see him?" Dumbledore pressed the red head.

She was sitting in his office at Hogwarts and was bombarded by all the memories the school offered. It had been two weeks since Remus had gone missing. November was coming to a close and he was still gone. Not a trace of him was left. They spent every waking moment searching for him, apparating to places he might be, questioning those who had seen him last, and searching nearly all of Europe. They kept his absence quiet, not really informing those they questioned what had happened, but the time had come that Dumbledore needed to know.

"It…it was the day of graduation," she murmured, nearly scared to tell her old headmaster and current leader of the Order how long they had refrained from informing him. "I'm so sorry, Albus, it's my fault."

Lily looked back to that day. She thought o the conversation she had had with him before the others had graduated from the auror training program. It had been taxing on the both of them, but it was their second conversation, the one after the graduation that should have clued her in that something was horribly wrong.

"Let me ask you this Lily, how is it your fault?" he asked. He seemed unfazed by the amount of time Remus had been missing.

"I talked to him, tried to convince him that it would all be fine. I put it into my mind that he would be okay. That everything would be happy and that he'd graciously accept whatever money or room James and I offered him. I was being foolish,"

"Lily, if anything, you have given him hope, as much as you could have," Albus spoke. Lily lifted her head, wanting to clearly hear what he had to say. "Remus is strong, but the point has come that he thinks that he can be stronger by himself, that the people he left would be better off without him. It's quite the opposite I assure you, by I can only assume that is what has traveled through his mind."

"Then where is he? Where could he have gone?" Lily nearly begged for the answer she so desired. If she lost Remus, if something happened to him she didn't know what she'd do. She couldn't loose anymore of those she cared about.

"He would have gone to find what he always wanted most after loving friends and family." Dumbledore answered. Lily froze as the answer appeared in her mind.

"A cure."

##########

**I hope you guys liked this chapter, for some reason it was a really fun one to write and I don't even know why haha. Please review because it'll make me super happy! Oh, and I once again apologize to those reviews that I didn't get to respond to, me computer is still acting up, but I should be able to have it figured out soon. Sorry for all the mistakes! Thank you all for your support!  
**

**-Sweets5236**


	21. Plans and Decorating

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**##########**

Skies were darkening, clouds forming, lives constantly changing. Voldemort's master plan was moving forward smoothly and he knew it. Oh yes, his confidence was rising steadily, progressing by the moment. He had finally stuck a stronghold into the ministry. The Minister was blind, hilariously so, creating the perfect opening. He had followers along every office that gave him the information he needed when he needed it.

Remus Lupin was out of the way, almost indefinitely. If the death eaters he had sent out succeeded in what they were commanded to do the boy would no longer be a pain in his side. It was only two out of the eight taken care of. Pettigrew would fall at his feet with no more than a nod of his head and Lupin would soon be gone.

It was too easy really, so much so that he nearly pitied those that were in the way of his reign. A new world order was about to be unraveled. All the _Mudbloods_ and _scum_ would be wiped clean. His schedule was flexible at the moment, nothing pressing to be handled which meant he could get the ones pathetically standing in his way out of his path.s

"Bellatrix," he called out in his nails-on-chalkboard voice. She strutted into the room with the usual air of confidence surrounding her.

"Yes, my lord?" she spoke, smilingly sweet. Annoyance rose up within him.

"What is the latest on that Potter boy and Little Miss Evans?"

"Potter now, my lord, they've been married," she said, appearing disgusted.

"Of course, that is no new news," he scoffed, "What have their feelings towards Lupin's disappearance been?" She cackled at the questions and his annoyance rose even higher.

"They're _pathetic_. Scuttling everywhere like lost little babies,"

"_Perfect_,"

"What is it about them that is so pressing, my lord?"

"Absolutely nothing," he drawled, looking bored.

"Then why waste the time, my lord?"

"Do you not trust my views, Bellatrix?"

"No, no, not at all, my lord," a picture of fear graced her features and a cruel smile came to his face. Fear, it was a beautiful thing to witness.

"I will tell you my reasons, Bellatrix, because I believe it will regain your trust that I do desire," he spoke, nearly mockingly.

"Yes, my lord,"

"It is not _wasting_ time, it's increasing it. They will do nothing more than slow us down and the sooner I have completed my plan the better. The sooner all has come to a close the less opportunities there are for…complications,"

"Indeed, my lord,"

"Good, I'm glad you understand. Now leave me, and tell Pettigrew to get closer to the Potters,"

She dashed out with nothing more than a short nod, a little less strut in her step. All was going well.

**##########**

"Finished with that paper work yet, Potter?" Moody spoke brusquely.

James looked up to his boss with a look of gloom obviously upon his face. He was undoubtedly exhausted, the purple bags drawn beneath his eyes a clear manifest of the fact. His movement were sluggish, his inky hair sticking up worse than usual, his fingers shaking, and his work desk with not a piece of wood showing due to the dozens of papers scattered across it.

"Not exactly, Moody," he breathed, rubbing his hazel eyes, causing them to appear red and irritated. He squeezed them shut, willing the pain of little sleep to leave him. He was surprised to feel a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Get it together, Potter. Lupin knows what he's doing," Moody said. For the first time he sounded hesitant. Encouragement obviously wasn't his strong suit.

"Why couldn't you have just given him the job?" James spoke, his voice cracking for a split second.

It had been the question running through his head over and over again for the past four weeks. Christmas was arriving yet he felt none of the joy that usually accompanied the season. Moody could have hidden it from the Ministry, let Remus graduate Auror Training anyway. It had crushed the last of Remus' dwindling confidence, James knew. They had done what they could, but it wasn't enough.

"Do you think Remus was even supposed to train?" Moody asked accusingly. "I did the best I could, Potter. It was hard enough trying to avoid all the questions they were asking me about him! The registration was binding, a lying spell engraved upon it, it was Remus that lost himself the job,"

"AS IF HE BROUGHT THAT…CURSE UPON HIMSELF? HE HAD NO CHOICE! He's…one of the beset people I know," James' voice trailed off at the end and he collapsed back in his seat having stood up during his tirade.

"I know that, Potter, and there's nothing I could have done,"

"I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you," James finally said placing his face in his hands.

"Take the day off Potter, all this paperwork is ridiculous, they're keeping you five off the field on purpose I suspect. Might as well go get some sleep," he noted at James' drooping eyes.

"_Thank you_, Moody," James spoke graciously. Without another word he scooped his things into his arms and left the office.

##########

"'Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la," Lily sang under breath as she strung garland atop the mantel. "Dawn we now our," she screamed as arms encircled her waist, but the sound died in her throat after the familiar scent of hot chocolate and cinnamon entered her senses.

"Jumpy?" James asked in her ear. She placed her hands on his own and turned her head to look up at him with a small smile.

"A bit, I suppose," she said with a chuckle.

"What was that you were singing?" He asked, his nose nuzzled into her neck and she shivered.

"Muggle Christmas songs, they're brilliant,"

"You'll have to show them to me," he said pressing a chaste kiss to her neck. Her grin widened and she turned around in his arms, placing her own on his shoulders.

"Why are you home early?" she asked running her fingers through his hair.

"Is there any problem with that?" he spoke with a chuckle.

"Not at all," she said stepping up on the tips of her toes to kiss him softly.

"Moody said I should get some rest," he murmured against her lips.

"Then you should probably go up to bed," she said falling back on his feet. He pouted and she laughed at his expression. "You're tired," she supplied tracing the purple marks beneath his eyes.

"But Liiillllyyyyy," he whined.

"Stop acting like a five-year old, Prongs," she said rolling her eyes.

"Prongs," he echoed with a strange look in his eyes. She looked at him questioningly. "You've never called me that before,"

"Is there something wrong with that?" she said with a smirk.

"Not at all, it's hot," he spoke, a bright smile finding its way to his face.

"Oh, shut up," she said, amused, hitting him on the chest before stepping back to what she was doing. "Now go to bed,"

"Come with me?" he asked cheekily. She turned back around and smiled, thinking of how much she loved him.

"James, you need sleep," she said shooing him with her hand. With one last pout he marched up the stairs, leaving Lily to finish decorating the house.

##########

"PRONGS!"

James tumbled from the comforting covers of his bed and landed on the floor with a loud 'thud'. A bout of familiar laughter rang through the room causing him to scowl from his place on the floor. He realized, while still annoyed, that the carpet beneath him was quite comforting.

"Shut it, Sirius," he growled moving to sit up. "Why are you here anyway?"

"What, don't like me anymore, Prongs?"

"Not at the moment, no," he spoke rearranging his shirt from how it had shifted while he was sleeping. "Now, you haven't answered my question yet,"

"Sunshine invited us, we're decorating the Christmas tree!" he said looking like a little kid. Sirius didn't get much Christmas festivities when he was young so ever since he went to Hogwarts t had been his favorite holiday.

"I still don't see why you found it funny to wake me up," he said with a yawn. While he did feel quite refreshed a few extra minutes of sleep would have been graciously accepted. Sirius raised his hands in defense.

"It was Sunshine that told me to, if you've anyone to blame let it be her,"

"Suuuuurrrrreeeee, Sirius, whatever you say," James said looking skeptical.

"No, really! Ask her yourself!"

"I was just kidding, Padfoot," James said laughing. He patted Sirius on the back before walking down the stairs.

What met his sight made him grin widely. The smile faltered when he remembered Remus wouldn't be there. The house appeared stunning in red, green, and gold laced around everything. Lily had done brilliantly and was suddenly glad she called him down to help decorate the tree.

Lily, Marlene, Alice, and Frank were busy sifting through boxes of ornaments he had never seen before. He turned to look at the couch and was extremely surprised to see Peter sitting there, looking nervous.

"Wormtail!" he spoke causing the man to jump, "Where've you been? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Work has me traveling," he spoke softly.

"Where was it you worked again?" Lily asked, smiling widely at James before turning towards Peter.

"Transportation offices," he squeaked, wringing his hand as he fidgeted on the couch.

"Oh, that makes sense," Lily spoke with a warm grin pushed his way. He smiled back timidly in response.

"Come help us with the tree, Wormtail," Sirius said while inspecting a rather strange ornament that appeared to be insulting him. "This is gold, Sunshine," he chuckled. "Where'd you find these?"

"Donations from friends, really. I picked a few up at Diagon Alley today as well, it was my day off," she said only glancing at Peter for a second as he moved to help them. James looked worried.

"You went to Diagon Ally by yourself?" he questioned. His hazel eyes flashed dangerously.

"Is there a problem with that?" She asked him, looking confused.

"Lily, its dangerous! You were there, at the battle, it's not safe!" he spoke striding towards her and taking her elbows in his hands.

"James, calm down, please. It's not that big of a deal!"

"Not that big of a deal, Lily, of course it is! You could have been kidnapped again!"

"James, I can't live my life hiding! It isn't going to happen again and you know that," she muttered angrily, trying to stay clam and keep her voice down.

"How could we know, Lily? _He's _still after you, nothing has happened that says otherwise!"

"Say his name, James," she challenged, narrowing her eyes. "Say it,"

The room was silent and the air chilled and heavy with newfound anger. Marlene, Alice, Frank, Sirius, and Peter remained frozen where they were standing, seemingly unable to move. Lily and James always used to fight, but since they got married they hadn't seen it happen. A fire was burning in their eyes yet James didn't respond to Lily's command. His mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words came out. Finally he stepped forward even further and bent his head down, nose touching hers.

"Lily," he whispered. She looked up at him, her emerald eyes as big as saucers. "I just want you to be safe."

"Say it, James. I need you to say it. I need to know you can," she spoke, nearly in tears. Not from the conversation, but from _everything_; everything that had happened in the last few weeks, all the searching and the lost sleep. James' closeness was somewhat comforting. She could feel his breath on her nose.

"_Voldemort_," he spoke. His eyes were closed and his voice shook. "I'm so scared Lily. I _can't _loose you,"

"We have to be _strong_, James, it's the only way," she spoke softly as a singular tear leaked down her face leaving a small track in its wake. His thumb automatically moved to her cheek, swiping away before it dripped down her chin.

"But it's not, Lily, it's not," he pleaded with her. "I'm here, _we're_ here, you don't have to be strong all the time because when you're not you have _us_ to back you up! You need to _understand_ that,"

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying best she could to hold back the tears she could feel prickling behind her lids. Suddenly a large hand landed upon her shoulder, a hand that was not James'. _Sirius_.

"_Sunshine_," he muttered, his voice sounding broken, "The world _isn't_ on your shoulders. You need out help,"

"That doesn't mean I'm _defenseless_," she spoke, eyes still closed.

"They never said you were, Lily," this time it was Marlene coming up to Lily's side on Sirius' right.

In seconds Alice and Frank had moved to Sirius' left and the group huddled into a large hug. Lily circled her arms around James and James one arm around Lily and one around Marlene. Marlene connected to James and Sirius, Sirius to Frank, Frank to Alice, and Alice to James, all surrounding Lily.

The only one out of the circle was Peter. Peter who was only there for the power it might bring him. They all knew they were going to have a rough Christmas. If only Remus were there.

##########

** The words I wrote in my chapter flowed so smoothly that I realized I wasn't even thinking when I wrote it, it's raw emotion, I can tell you that. My characters, I honestly love them so much and I know I'm going to cry in the end. I hope you loved this chapter as much as I did. **

**On a different note, I think I got a total of two reviews last chapter. I'm not asking for more, I'm just wondering **_**why**_**. Was the last chapter boring? Dragging on? Unimportant? I genuinely wish to know so I can improve upon these next chapters. I have big plans, I assure you, which is why these past two or so chapters have been a bit dull, I realize. Please tell me what you think and thanks so much, as always! :)**

**-Sweets5236**


	22. Remus Found

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"Hey Lils? Why don't you teach us of some of those muggle Christmas carols?" James said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

The tree was finished, all arguments set aside. It was messy, done with hands shaking from laughter. The muggle lights were wrapped around without much thought, having the minds been more focused on the conversations. Their golden glow reflecting off the ornaments of muggle and magical.

It was the ornaments that made the tree the best. There were ones the size of golf balls and one that was the size of a bowling ball. They all varied in colors and shapes, each unique. Several of the ornaments singed, others did nothing but sparkle. There were so many of them that you could barely see the branches they hung so precariously upon. Their excuse for a Christmas tree was perfect.

"There are a lot of them," she warned with raised eyebrows, referring to the number of carols she knew by heart.

"Which are your favorites?" Alice asked, running through all the muggle Christmas songs her mom had taught her in her head.

"I love the classics. Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, We Wish You a Merry Christmas," she listed off the top of her fingers.

"It's not like we don't have time," Sirius noted, plopping onto the couch beside Marlene. "Just teach us all of them! Why not! It's Christmas!"

"Way to be, Sirius," Marlene said with a giggle, patting his arm.

Lily remembered all the Christmas carols she used to sing with her family, gathered around the piano. It was most Christmases that she had spent at home. Her first, fifth, and seventh years were the only years that she did not travel to the place she grew up in to celebrate Christmas.

She had so many good memories in that house. It was gone, having been replaced by a park. She had visited the area weeks before and was nearly happy to see that they hadn't built another house over top of where her own home used to lie. The ashes were scattered around the world at that point. It had been over a year.

Lily remembered when they first moved in, she had been eight and had lived only down the street previously. The house they had occupied before was only being rented out to them so they were happy to discover they could actually buy a home n the neighborhood Lily adored so much.

Her room rested on the top floor, in the corner of the house. Through the years it went through various changes through the varying ages she turned. The last time she had redecorated had been the summer before her sixth year with Marlene and Alice. The conversation they had had been quite humorous

"We should paint the walls hot pink with cursive-y decals lining everywhere!" Marlene had exclaimed, throwing her arms out and spinning around.

"Cursive-y?" Alice questioned. "I'm not exactly sure that's a word,"

"Well who cares, it'll be great!"

"No offense, Marley," Lily had said. "Pink isn't really what I'm looking for,"

"Dang," Marlene had pouted.

"What about blue?" Alice said, looking to the clear sky out the window.

"Ooo! You need green as well," Marlene said excitedly. "You can't have blue without green!"

"You seem more excited about this than I am," Lily had said, chuckling.

"Well excuse me for wanting to turn this disgrace of a bedroom into something wonderful," she said crossing her arms.

It was true though, the room screamed eleven-year-old. The walls were pale pink and lined with pictures of ballerinas. It was quite sad, really, that Lily hadn't gotten around to redecorating earlier.

"How right you are, Marlene," she said.

"Blue and green, it'll be great," Alice said with a smile, collapsing onto Lily's bed.

"Blue and green it is then,"

That's how it went though. They painted the walls a pale blue and bought a blue and green swirly bedspread from Diagon Alley. The circles looped around each other creating a neat affect. The finishing touch was a cream rug to line the dark wooden floor.

When Christmas time came Lily strung lights around her bedposts and along her dresser, lighting the room in a golden glow. She had refused to use colorful lights. Those very Christmas lights, however, where then lining the tree in that moment, still shining with all they had. She brought them to Hogwarts in her seventh year, planning to use them to decorate her dorm.

It was that very blue and green room that she encountered in the Room of Requirement.

Just as Lily was about to open her mouth and announce that the first song she'd teach would be Jingle Bells, the fire flashed green, illuminating the room. Albus Dumbledore stepped out. The Potter's fireplace had just been connected to the floo network the day before. James had taken special precautions to ensure that no one but Order members could ever get through.

"I see you are all celebrating this joyous time of year," he began, looking grim, "but I'm afraid we have a problem,"

"What is it?" Lily asked as her previous joy swooped away and was replace by an inkling of fear.

"We have found Remus," he started.

"How is that a problem?" Sirius questioned, obviously confused.

"It appears that Voldemort has to,"

##########

A particularly robust gust of chilled wind whipped past Remus, causing his hair, becoming longer by the day, to ruffle into his face. He swiped it away with his one worn, shaky hand. The ends were rough, falling past his chin. Remus knew he needed to get it cut; yet a small part of him enjoyed the change no matter how strange it must look. His hair had always grown quicker than most since he had gotten bitten; it was a side effect of sorts. As much as Sirius' longer hair worked for him, the style didn't look particularly charming on Remus.

He would be forced to go home soon, he knew. The mere thought made him wince. He'd be _bombarded _with questions. The answers they'd be sure to demand would have to be accompanied with exhaustive details. Remus didn't know what to do. He didn't know the best way to handle it. His consistently unfailing logic had gone and committed the worst thing against him; it left.

He scratched at his arm, squeezing his eyes shut when pain shot through him. He had forgotten. His frail arm was dotted with the marks of injections, dozens of them of varying pains. It was a small price to pay, however, for the chance of a cure.

A cure. It was all he had dreamed for for as long as he could remember. While other kids wished for a new broomstick or sweater for Christmas he wanted _freedom_. From questions and expectations that came with what he was. Before the rest of the Marauders became animagi the pain had been…undeniable, expected to the point where the hours of sleep Remus earned in the week before were single digits. Why wouldn't he search for a way to make it all stop? Why wouldn't she search for a way to make the pain end?

His travels had taken him across the world. He'd set foot on all seven continents, multiple times, in the past few weeks alone. One would think that would have meant progress, but they'd be sadly mistaken. The only thing he gained was increasingly sore arms and a small sum of payment for the tests that have been completed on him. If he saw another needle again Remus was sure he'd not be able to brave it. Some Gryffindor he was.

As he walked the streets of an unfamiliar French town, Remus contemplated all of these things. It was then that he saw his selfishness. The others had no idea where he was, what he was doing, or why. They were all ready worried for themselves, but now they had to worry about him as well. What is something happened while he was gone? What if they got hurt or another battle broke out?

Remus, however, didn't have another moment to think as the ear-splintering sound of apparation rung through the air. His head whipped to the source to see a tall stranger cloaked in black standing several yards away. A dozen more cracks sounded as a dozen more figures, all with familiar masks, appeared before him.

His heart began to race as adrenaline pumped through him. He was weak. After all the serums and syrups that had been pumped through his veins he knew he wouldn't last long. Something, however, made him believe that all would be well. A blanket of peace engulfed him, yet he wasn't going to back down without a fight.

It wasn't after more than three shots and three downed death eaters that Remus got hit with a rather interesting curse he didn't recognize, sending him to the ground.

##########

"Lily, stay near me, don't wander off, I don't care what happens," James lectured as the two dashed down the street arm in arm to the apparation point. The others weren't far behind them.

"But what if," she started.

"No buts, Lily, I need you to stay with me. I _can't_ loose you again."

"James,"

"Lily, _no_,"

Lily sighed in defeat, realizing he was right. They'd be after her; she wasn't supposed to escape the week of her wedding. If anything they'd try to kill her first, angry that she had escaped them. Staying with James would be her best option and they needed to save Remus. Who knew what condition he was in, how long he'd be able to fight. It was sickening that their _friend_, one of their best friends, was alone with death eaters after him.

She gripped James' arm even tighter as he spun on the spot, pulling them to a place James had actually traveled before. It was in France, a nearly deserted town on the border. It was where they were told he'd be, likely already struggling, if not yet captured or dead. The thought was terrifying.

As soon as the sickening feeling of apparation had left, James dissaperated back to Godric's hollow, making sure she was hidden behind a building, before spinning on his foot to go and get the others.

She shivered, not only from the cold, but also from the silence. She leaned her head against the peeling blue paint of the back of the store, her red hair falling n curtains around her. She steadied her breathing best she could and watched her chilled breaths come out in puffs of air. She needed to stay calm.

Flashes of previous battles played like movies through her head, steady and crystal clear. She tried ridding herself of them, but was unsuccessful as she saw Bellatrix standing at a snowy Hogsmeade shooting killing curses at Sirius. Pain shot through the long scar on her side. The mere remembrance of the Cruciatus that had been thrown at her caused her bones to ache.

She brought her hands to her eyes, pressing against them in a faulty attempt to erase the far too vivid images. She breathed in deeply, beginning to relish in the biting cold that brought back some of her senses.

The silence still surrounding her was but a small comfort as well. That silence, however, was soon met by multiple 'CRACK's echoing off buildings. She jumped, nearly tumbling onto her back before catching herself. It wasn't James. She bit her tongue, trying to very hard not to run out from behind the building. Remus was out there, but so were the death eaters.

Luckily she didn't have to hold out for long because James had come back with both Marlene and Sirius with a 'CRACK' of his own following him. Dumbledore appeared soon after with Alice and Frank in tow. Peter had opted to stay back for when they returned.

The very moment she saw them, Lily bolted from her spot, knowing James would be directly behind her. She had to put the past behind her; it was Remus that mattered in those moments.

As the dashed into the clearing the first thing that their eyes met was the sight of a paler than usual Remus falling to the ground, quickly turning a sickly purple. He was choking. Lily, on instinct, nearly rushed to his side, but James, who was motioning towards Dumbledore who was traveling to Remus, gripped her arm tightly. She nodded in response and whipped out her wand

More 'CRACK's filled the air as members of the Order apparated onto the scene. Lily shot spell after spell, barely thinking of the words she was saying. Flashes of light lit up the darkening street. They weren't there to fight though; they were there to rescue Remus. Get in and get out, which was the plan.

The first spell that Lily yelled was the one she figured would by them the most time.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" the wand of a single death eater spun across the terrain.

"STUPIFY!" was the next spell she heard, cast by James behind her.

The flashes of light seemed to never stop and heart everyone's eyes. Spell after spell was shot and every few minutes Lily's eyes would flick to the spot where Remus was lying on the ground with Dumbledore standing over him muttering spells. He didn't seem to be waking up.

A stinging pain went up her arm as a simple slicing spell was shot, as she wasn't paying attention. She winced, but knew it would not stop her. The battle was short lived, but no less filled with adrenaline and worry.

Soon a loud 'CRACK' split that air. Dumbledore had apparated with Remus, taking him to Hogwarts and into the care of Madame Pomfrey. It meant his condition was stable.

Lily motioned to James, gripping onto his arm. It was time to leave. She heard the cracks of Sirius and Marlene disapparating in the next seconds and just as she spun on her foot a heart-breaking scream rang through the cold air, one she was always terrified of hearing. It was James.

##########

** Ta-da! PLEASE REIVEW, YOU ARE ALL AMAZING! Sorry if I didn't reply to your review, my computer glitched again. Merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you may celebrate)!**

**-Sweets5236**


	23. Shaky Hands

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

As Sirius' feet touched the ground with Marlene close to his side the first thing he did was let out a sigh of relief. Remus was _okay_ or was, at least, going to be. His erratically beating heart began to slow as the much needed adrenaline slowly drained out of him, leaving nothing but the smallest of headaches.

He glanced around at his surroundings and breathed in the ever-familiar scent of old parchment and dusty classrooms. It was a scent he had learned to adore through the years, it was the scent of home. Hogwarts, that is, was Sirius' home and he felt rejuvenated standing once again upon the grounds. It nearly broke his heart leaving the historic school after their seventh year, but he'd never admit it.

Sirius breathed another sigh as he wished that they still had the Marauder's Map. He had lost it on nearly the last day of school stealing the pineapple from Slughorn's office so that he wouldn't stay colorful for the rest of his life. Granted, James somehow hadn't figured it out yet, but if he did Sirius was sure to die slow and painfully at his best friend's hand. That map had taken them _years_.

"Sirius? _Sirius_. SIRIUS, I AM TALKING TO YOU NOW GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE CLOUDS!" he suddenly heard Marlene's voice roar to life and nearly jumped a foot in the air.

"Quiet woman, you're giving me a headache," he whined, squeezing his eyes shut. She slapped him on the arm before grabbing his hand to pull him away. "Where're we going?" he mumbled.

"To the Hospital Wing of course, to see Remus," she said matter-of-factly, flipping her long brown locks over her shoulder. Sirius decided he needed to make her angry less often; she was a lot more pleasant when she was pleased with him. Sirius froze as a singular thoughts dashed across his mind.

"James and Lily, where are they?" he asked. She turned towards him and he thought he saw the tiniest bit of fear in her chocolate-y eyes.

"I'm sure they're just fine. They probably apparated somewhere different than we did," she finally said, shaking her head as if she were berating herself.

"They knew we were supposed to go to Hogwarts, right?"

"Yes," she answered after a moment of thought. "It's a big school though," she glanced up as she said so, gazing at the amazing structure built around them, "I'm not surprised we didn't arrive in the same spots," Sirius paused once more.

"Wait, how did we even apparate into here?" he asked, looking bewildered. Marlene smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she spoke. Sirius' eyes darkened.

She really was beautiful with her soft curves and decent height. Her hair had grown quite a bit, he realized, sine school and now touched just below her lower back. He briefly wondered if she had placed a charm over it to cause it to grow longer quicker, but that better of it. Her warm brown eyes sparkled merrily with the joy of having found Remus and that mischievous look on her face only added to the affect.

"Are you going to stop staring anytime soon?" she questioned, sounding annoyed. The small smile on her face gave her away.

"What? Is it a crime to wonder how you could be so incredibly gorgeous?" he asked swooping in to spin her around before pressing a chaste kiss to her small nose.

"Always the charmer," she whispered.

A shiver ran down her spine at their close proximity. His grey eyes seemed to be swirling and the affect was incredibly attractive. It was one of the first things she looked at in guys, his eyes that was. While she had never known Occlumency, she found that the eyes of a person could tell her whatever she wished to know. Sirius' eyes were stunning and filled with something she was a bit scared of, something she had never experienced before.

"Do you like me, Marley?" Sirius suddenly asked, as if it were the most innocent question in the world. In some ways, however, it was. It was simple question, but there were ways her answer could cause complications. It was those thoughts that made her say the first thing that came to her mind. Following her _heart_ rather than her mind would suit the question much better.

"Yeah, I like you Sirius Black."

"Well, Marlene McKinnon, I like you too," he said with the very largest of grins on his face. He looked happier than she had ever seen him and the thoughts alone made an equally silly smile appear on her own face.

Sirius Black had always been off limits. Ever since she was a little girl, actually. His family was to be avoided, if not feared. Her father had always warned her that the Blacks were bad news. Her dad's words had, in a way, attracted her more and more to Sirius once she finally met him. She had never had the best of relationships with her father and in a way it felt nice to defy him, even if it was over something as silly as a boy. Her and Sirius had never been that great of friends until their seventh year, but merely acknowledging him and acting kind seemed like a rebellion of sorts to the mind of a little first year.

As the years had gone by, Marlene realized she was in trouble. She grew a crush on Sirius Black. Sirius Black who was always pulling some skirt into a broom closet for a quick snog before class, who turned everyone's hair different colors, and flirted with McGonagall until she was at a loss for words. He _was_ dangerous, but in the way that made her heart swoon. Marlene had always had a soft spot for 'bad boys'.

That had all led up to that very moment. He was close with his head tilted towards her, close enough she could feel his breath on her cheek. His hands were rested lazily on her waist and her own were wrapped around his neck, playing with the hair there.

Sirius had kissed her before. Once in sixth year, it had ended with a red imprint of a hand across his face. Once after he snatched her beneath the mistletoe in seventh year, that one had been close to nothing, no more than a brush of his lips across her own. The last time he had kissed her had been when Lily was kidnapped, when she was scared and felt incredibly alone. None of that seemed to matter this time around though as he began to close the distance between them; it seemed different than all the other times, it seemed like it mattered.

As his lips hesitantly ran across her own she decided she _did_ like Sirius Black, in fact, she liked him quite a lot. In a response to her thoughts she rose up on the tips of her toes to meet him. The kiss was sweet and gentle, nearly questioning. It made Marlene feel _happy_, so incredibly happy that she giggled against his lips causing him to pull back just the slightest to look at her. His silver eyes twinkled merrily and she decided the best thing to do next was kiss him once more. So she did.

##########

"James, James, James, James," Lily muttered over and over again as she tried dragging him to the Hospital Wing. She tugged and pulled at his arm, but it got her nowhere.

He was unconscious; blood leaking from a nasty cut that ran from the right corner of his forehead diagonally to the left corner of his strong chin. That wasn't where it ended though, it had trailed down his arm as well, and it was cut deep. Perhaps not as deep as the cut Lily had gotten at Hogsmeade at their seventh year, and not done with as much dark magic, but it was still enough that a large pool of blood had gathered beneath him.

His arm appeared mangled, pieces of flesh in disarray and his bone twisted in an unnatural position mere inches beneath the deepness of the cut. The sight of it made her stomach churn unpleasantly. The spell was messily done making the wound much deadlier than it would have been otherwise. Lily actually recognized the charm; she had even used it before around the house. It was meant for a household spell, one for cutting paper and fabrics, not skin. She had never noticed what cruel intentions it could be placed towards.

Lily was undeniably grateful that the students were all in their dorms, or at least, were supposed to be. She didn't want Benjy Fenwick, now a seventh year and notorious for sneaking out at night, to happen upon them.

It was then Lily realized that she was a wizard. She had a wand at her disposal and a head of spells that could save her husband. She drew said wand shakily from her boot where she had stowed in and squeezed her eyes shut. Her voice trembled, betraying her, as she spoke.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_," she whispered as strongly as she could. James hovered an inch off the ground before returning to his original spot just as fast. She frowned, the tears starting to come to her eyes.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" she spoke again, getting angry. She had been the best at charms in her year, the best of all the students really, and now she couldn't use the simplest of charms to save her dying husband. He hovered again before falling back onto the floor.

"_WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"_ she exclaimed once more.

This time his body didn't even leave the ground and tears suddenly began to gush from her eyes. Her small frame wracked with sobs. She felt useless and selfish crying there as James leaked blood onto the floors of Hogwarts. She pressed her hands tightly to his wounds with a large piece of fabric she had ripped from the hem of her skirt. Her tears dropped onto his arm, making the fabric wet and a dozen times less useful.

"Lily Evans?" a voice suddenly asked, causing her to lift her head and look in the direction it had come from. She narrowed her eyes before finally recognizing the face of the little second year that stood before her.

She had grown, several inches actually and her sandy hair was much longer, several inches below her shoulder blades, and curled nicely at the ends. Her skin was still tanned despite the winter, yet the freckles that she had seemed to always have while Lily was at Hogwarts appeared to be fading. She was obviously growing up. Her darling pale blue eyes were filled to the brim with concern and something that looked an awful like fright. Lily didn't even question why the twelve-year-old was out of bed. All she felt was instant relief. Annabelle, the same little girl she had found crying behind the tapestry only the year before, would be just the person to help her.

"Annabelle!" she exclaimed. "You need to…" she gasped for a breath, "You need to help me! He's hurt!"

She glanced down to see she was covered in James blood. It coated the tips of her hair fiery hair, contrasting in a strange way and ran down her shirt. She grimaced. The poor little girl she had knew the year before should never have to see something so horrendous so early in her life.

"W-what happened?" she stuttered, eyes wide at the sight of James, a face she recognized, on the ground.

"We apparated here, from a battle," Lily started, tears still flowing freely, "I can't do it! My hands won't stop shaking,"

"O-okay, I can help!" Annabelle spoke, understanding. She whipped her wand out from the spot behind her ear. "_Wingardium Leviosa_," she spoke confidently. James rose off the ground and Lily stood. Her tears than became ones of joy in seconds.

"_Thank you_, Annabelle, _thank you so much_," she said with as much emotion as she could muster. Annabelle smiled brightly in response and began leading the floating James and nearly hysterical Lily to the Hospital Wing.

The first thing that met Lily's eyes as she walked in was Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey leaning over a body that must be Remus'. Lily stayed deadly calm as they walked in and took a seat by the nearest bed. Annabelle lowered James onto it before moving calmly to Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore.

Lily kept her eyes focused on James as Dumbledore made his way over to them without a word. His eyes swept over James and Lily missed the concerned look in his eyes. She was far too focused on her husband.

Dumbledore had been a teacher, then a headmaster, for many a year. He grew close to his students, cared about their well beings and their futures. While Dumbledore didn't have _favorites_ per say, but he had taken a special fondness to the boys that had dubbed themselves "The Marauders". They brought light to the lives of the students. Their pranks, while sometimes messy and hard to be rid of, were a welcome distraction. Even Minerva, who berated them at nearly every moment, was somewhat gracious for them, though she'd never admit it.

Lily, Marlene, and Alice were the same though; they had been a welcomed addition to the school. While they were somewhat against what they thought were immature pranks pulled by the Marauders, they were always _happy_, positive and able to lift the spirits of others. They were looked up to and the strength they found in each other was an amazing example to the students who looked for a way to hold onto their lives despite the darkening moments.

They were gone from the school though and making a difference in the world whether they noticed it or not. Dumbledore noticed the change of atmosphere when they left; he was disappointed that it was something that was actually noticeable. The halls appeared more gray and the faces far more dismal. The group of them never realized what an impact they had. He admired them greatly and had come to think of them as…something like his own children.

"What happened, Lily?" he asked her as calmly as he could. She glanced up at him for no more than a second.

"Just as we apparated he got hit with it, slashed his whole body practically. It was sloppy, he obviously had no idea what he was doing," Lily said, referring to the death eater that had shot the spell.

"All will be well, I assure you," Dumbledore noted as he took inventory of James' damage.

Lily felt instantly calmed by his words. Who wouldn't? If anyone knew what they were doing it was Albus Dumbledore. He was a person she naturally trusted from the very first moment she met him and he would be someone she knew she could continue to trust for the rest of her life.

In those next minutes Sirius and Marlene walked in holding hands. Something like happiness flared inside of her, but disappeared when she realized they didn't know what happened to James.

She saw Sirius and Marlene grin at Annabelle who was just leaving; she gave the smallest of waves and a shy smile before walking down the hall, back to her Gryffindor dorm. The grins slid right off of their faces when they saw James lying deathly pale on the hospital bed.

"What happened?" Marlene asked, rushing to Lily's side. It seemed to be the question everyone was asking.

"Right before I apparated," she started, unable to continue. Sirius walked over and placed a hand upon her shoulder pressing hard as he looked at his best friend, trying to draw strength from Lily. He remained silent.

"Will he be…" Marlene trailed off.

"Well?" Dumbledore finished. "Yes, Madame Pomfrey is off to find some pain reliever for him and Remus,"

Lily once again felt extremely selfish. Remus. She had forgotten he was there, sick and injured after being gone from them for so long. She looked to the bed a few down from James and saw him looking worse for wear, as usual. His scars appeared far more eminent and his arms seemed to be dotted with what looked like injection points. Her frown deepened.

"His arms," she began to ask, motioning to him.

"No doubt from the number of supposed cures he tested for," Dumbledore spoke.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Sirius suddenly asked, breaking his silence.

"Very," Dumbledore noted, looking worried.

"Who knows what they shot into him," Marlene said with a shiver.

"He will luckily, be fine, just in time for Christmas too," Dumbledore said.

"Christmas," Lily muttered. "That's in four days,"

"Indeed it is. The two of them are _very_ lucky. Then again, you have all always seemed to be,"

"Alice and Frank, where are they?" Marlene asked.

"Safe, I have no doubt they are probably at your home, Lily, and perhaps didn't get the message to meet here at Hogwarts,"

"They're probably worried," Sirius said.

"I sent them a message nearly the moment I got here, they will be waiting for you there," Dumbledore supplied. He seemed to always have the solutions. Sirius nodded in understanding. He squeezed Lily's shoulder once more.

"We should leave," he began. Lily cut him off.

"I'm staying, at least until he wakes,"

"Lily, you need _sleep_," Marlene pleaded.

"I can sleep here, I'll be just fine," she said trying to calm her still shaking hands. Marlene took them into her own and held them tight, calming the little tremors that traveled through them.

"It's okay now, Lily, they're going to be okay," she spoke with the smallest of smiles.

Lily nodded with watery eyes before launching herself at her best friend, engulfing her in a large hug. Sirius joined in soon after, wrapping his arms around both of them. Lily shook with silent sobs as Sirius rubbed her back trying to calm her. He felt Marlene's far more calm tears drip onto his jeans. They sat there for what felt like hours. They could do nothing but hope Marlene was right.

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**I actually loved this chapter. Don't ask me why, but I enjoyed writing it. I apologize profusely for my typing mistakes, I type speedy at some points and slower at others so there are bound to be an abundance of mistakes. That always bothers me when I read a story so I'm so sorry you all have to put up with it. Thank you for your reviews, my email finally got fixed a day or so ago so I should be able to acknowledge them a bit better this coming week. You are all super awesome!**

**-Sweets5236**


	24. Sitting in the Snow

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

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Crystal-ed pieces of snow drifted from the clouds over-head, taking their sweet time and enjoying the frosty air, occasionally tumbling over one another. They touched the cobblestoned streets and the tips of roofs, coating everything in a white blanket. The scene was like a picture from a postcard. It was a winter wonderland unlike anything seen before and made the weary faces of the wizarding world smile just the slightest. It was the little wonders they learned to enjoy the most.

In a way Lord Voldemort's rising brought wisdom and appreciation to the eyes of so many that had taken life for granted. Being able to see the snowfall, untainted and innocent was a joy in itself. Many a child took to their backyard, building snowmen and trying to avoid the occasional snowball being magically tossed by a playful parent. It was Christmas Eve and a white Christmas was just what they desired.

These little white snowflakes contrasted starkly against the raven black hair of an emerald green-eyed woman walking down the street with her head faced down, avoiding all eye contact. She cursed her foolishness, she was going to stand out immediately with the single lift of her chin, she knew. Her green eyes had become somewhat…fabled. What with being an auror that was supposedly supposed to be saving everyone and having been a major factor in several battles her eyes were easily recognized, a thought she overlooked when she walked out of her home. At least she remembered to disguise her usual fiery colored hair; she was practically a beacon in a storm with it.

She sighed, her breath coming out in an icy puff of air, dancing in front of her face. She slid a piece of the unfamiliar colored hair behind her ear, instantly regretting it as a gust of particularly cold wind brushed by. The sound of footsteps trying not to slip on the slick sidewalk met her ear and she glanced up for the quickest of seconds to see a mother, clearly muggle, pulling her child by the arm across the ice. His giggles filled the air and the mom had a large smile on her face, the rest of the world aside.

Her mind flashed to herself pulling along a little girl with red locks and hazel eyes. The little girl would be funny like her daddy and clever like her mom. There was nothing this woman wanted more, but it saddened her deeply to know that she wouldn't get her wish for a very long time; it was by choice though. She wanted the best for her child and the world had so much room for improvement at that moment that it was terrifying.

She paused as she arrived at her destination, glancing up at the worn iron gate above her. A wave of sadness washed over her and she frowned, the lines unflattering on her young, usually content face. Her footsteps slowed just the slightest, but she pushed on with determination until she fell in front of two marble gravestones rising out of the ground. There was nothing beneath them, nothing at all as there had been nothing to be found of the ones the graves represented.

They were simple, in a cemetery that contained a rusty swing set laden with snow in the background. She had picked the cemetery because it reminded her of her home. Guilt swept through her as she stared at the stones for a moment before falling in front of them on her knees, not minding that snow that was soaking her pants. It was the first time she had visited the gravestones since the day they were placed there over a year before.

She had come to cry. It seemed silly it was a silly reason for visiting them, but she had been crying much too often and it was beginning to worry her. There had been several times in the last year she had vowed not to cry again, but she was obviously not very good at keeping those promises to herself. She could last a bit longer though if she took the time to sit down and sob by her parent's grave, she could last longer in the months that were to come. So she kneeled there, pants soaked with newly fallen snow, and sobbed.

##########

"We're going to camp out our flat, Lily, want to stay the night?" Alice asked as Lily scrubbed her dishes, wiping them clean.

Alice had just walked in seconds before with Frank, Marlene, and Sirius behind her. She heard their voices outside the door before they even began the enchantments they needed to set up and take away before getting in.

The house felt empty despite the already large number of people in it. The halls seemed too quiet, eerily so, and the rooms seemed colder. Lily was tired, exhausted really. Her eyes itched and her limbs were shaking slightly, not to mention the strange hot flashes she was getting. Her mind ached as well, but she was not going to let it ruin her Christmas Eve, or Christmas for that matter…the one she would spend without James because he was unconscious at Hogwarts. Apparently, despite being his wife, there were only certain hours she could visit him. She had already tried sneaking in too many times for Madame Pomfrey to let her get away with it again.

"It's Christmas Eve, I-I, think I'm going to stay here," she placed a hand to her head, steadying herself as a wave of dizziness engulfed her. She gripped the kitchen sink tightly and gritted her teeth, sucking in a large breath of air.

"Sunshine?" Sirius questioned with a frown, coming up and twirling a lock of her hair around his finger. She winced when she realized why. "Why is your hair black?" he asked, his eyes flashing with worry.

"I…I was…" she stuttered, trying to find a decent answer. They'd be worried about her if they knew she had been out by herself. She waved her wand, returning her hair to its original color.

"Where did you go, Lily?" he asked, moving a bit closer so that the others wouldn't hear. Alice, Frank, and Marlene took the hint and left the room, making up some excuse about going to fix the lights on the Christmas tree.

As soon as they were gone Sirius took her by the elbows and led her to the kitchen table. He placed her down on one of the chairs and sat down beside her, silver eyes swirling with concern.

"You're sick," he said placing his hand to her forehead and frowning deeper once he felt the heat that was radiating from it. He moved his hands to her arms; in stark contrast to her burning forehead they were ice cold and goose bumps covered her pale skin.

"I know," she whispered, as if it were the most heart-shattering thing on the planet. Her lip quivered, but no tears fell.

"What happened Lily? How did this happen?" He asked touching her pale cheek.

"I don't know Sirius, I don't know, I just want him back," she murmured, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his chest. The scent of his shirt was comforting, the strange combination of peppermint and motorcycle oil. "I just want him back,"

Sirius scooted his chair closer, gathering her in his arms before pulling her onto his lap. He didn't give a second thought to the notion that she might get him sick. She needed him. Lily was missing James, but it wasn't enough to make her _physically_ ill and he was worried, extremely so. While she may have charmed her hair, there was obviously nothing else she had done to disguise herself, something she would be highly berated for by Moody if he had known. Lily was smarter than that; James being in the Hospital Wing was messing with her senses.

"We all want him back, Lily, I know. You can't go out by yourself though, _it's not safe_."

"I needed to see them, Sirius, I needed to. I needed to see them," she spoke over and over again like a lost puppy. He understood immediately whom she met.

"Okay, that's okay, but look at you now Lily! You're sick, you're really sick," he lifted her head to look her in the eyes. Those emerald eyes told him everything. How scared she was that she'd loose the man she loved. "Take me with you next time, okay? I want you to be safe…_James_ wants you to be safe."

"I'm not trying to get hurt, Sirius," she said with a frown, wanting him to understand.

"I know, _but you can_. That's all that matters," he said stroking her hair comfortingly as a shiver ran through her body, shaking her small frame.

"I don't feel good, Sirius," she said squeezing her eyes shut as the headache flared up. She could practically feel her fever rising. Her head spun dangerously. She couldn't remember feeling worse in her life. Her vision became blurry before focusing the slightest bit again. She saw Sirius still had that concerned expression on his face.

"I know, shhh, it's okay," he said scooping her up in his arms bridal style. That was the last thing she remembered before falling into a sort of painful sleep.

##########

Sirius frowned at Lily's unconscious form in his arms. He was just glad he could be there for her when James couldn't. It was something he had promised him in the days after she had been rescued from Voldemort's arms had still not yet awoken. He remembered the conversation clearly seeing, as it was something he imprinted upon his brain.

"When do you think she'll wake up?" James had asked. The two had been sitting in chairs side by side in the room Lily was resting in at the burrow. She was unconscious, something she was far too often for comfort.

"Pomfrey said it could be weeks," Sirius had said with a sigh.

James had been absolutely devastated. Lily's blankets had been askew, revealing the upper half of her body. She was wearing a thing cotton shirt. The scar she had gotten on her ribcage in their seventh year was so flared up you could see the long mark raised above her skin, the tiniest bit of pink shown through and Sirius was scared to imagine how bad it looked beneath the shirt.

"I should have been there," James stated, pushing both hands angrily through his hair, causing it to stand u on the end.

"It was _your wedding day_. You weren't supposed to see her by tradition, Prongs. _I_ was the one who was supposed to be there!" he spoke. James looked up and frowned at his words.

"Enough with the blame game then. I just want her to wake up."

"I know."

"What happens when I can't protect her, Sirius?" he had asked.

"Then I will," he had said as if it were the simplest thing on the planet. "If you're not there then I'll be, we all know I'll last the longest," he said chuckling.

"That's the farthest thing from the truth I've ever heard," he said with a laugh of his own. "The second part, that is," he added in more seriousness.

"You know I'll be there for her, Prongs," Sirius said glancing to Lily's form. She had been beat up pretty bad and just looking at her made his bones ache.

"What it," James started. Sirius cut him off abruptly.

"No, 'what it's buddy, _I'll watch out for her_. Besides, nothing can stop James Potter! You're practically invincible, man," He said punching him lightly in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Thanks though, it means a lot," James, spoke, his hazel eyes sharpening.

"You know, Lily really loves you James,"

"I'd hope so," James replied grinning widely.

"Really though, I can practically _feel_ it. It's like some fairytale. The girl hates the guy but falls in love with him and they go on amazing adventures together."

"Happily ever after, yeah?"

"Hopefully."

Sirius paused his ascent up the stairs as he thought more about the memory. It ironic really, how Lily was in nearly the same situation James had been. Her love was unconscious after a battle. She was taking it no better than he had, if not worse. Of course she chose the day it snowed the hardest to visit her parents. Her jeans were still damp as well and he wondered how long she had been out for before they came. He was lucky they arrived when he did.

He began walking again when he realized she needed to be in a warm bed and get her rest. He set her down with the covers set aside and preformed a simply warming spell on her. Her sweats dried and he pulled the large number of blankets overtop her small form.

In that moment the smallest hint of nostalgia washed over him. Lily was like the little sister he had never had. Sirius remembered tucking Reggie into bed when they were children just as he was tucking Lily in then. Their parents were always out at lavish parties, celebrating their success or the success of others. It wasn't long until the parties they went to were filled with death eaters.

Reggie had always been afraid of the shadows and Sirius was the one who would murmur words of comfort to him until he drifted off to sleep. Sirius had loved his little brother, his little brother whom he had practically raised. It wasn't until Regulus was old enough to think for himself that Sirius' parents started planting ideas into his head. It began slowly, gradually, but soon it became obvious that Reggie wasn't the same little boy who was scared of monsters that he used to be.

Sirius hadn't seen him since his school years, and only in the halls with no more than pointed looks shared. He doubted Regulus even went to school anymore, there were too many important errands for Voldemort to send him on. Sirius' heart filled with remorse at the mere thought. He shoulder have stopped it, stopped them from turning his baby brother against him.

He took one last look at Lily's sleeping form, pressed the back of his hand to her forehead once last time, and hoped she would get well soon yet again before walking out of the room slowly, shutting the door softly behind him.

His eyebrows furrowed with concentration as memory after memory of his little brother flashed before his mind. He contemplated for a moment about contacting him, but then he realized it wasn't safe. He didn't want to put anyone in danger. With a sigh Sirius realized there was nothing he could do about his baby brother besides ask Dumbledore if he was even at Hogwarts anymore at the next Order meeting.

He ran his hand through his hair, a nervous habit he had developed from James, and sighed before walking back down the stairs and into the living room where everyone was waiting for him and an explanation to what had just happened.

Instead of being bombarded by questions as he expected when he arrived before them, he was met with stark silence. He took a seat on one of the two couches in the room facing them. The tree sparkled merrily in the corner, as it should, reminding him that it was Christmas Eve.

They sat there for what seemed like an eternity. None of them moved, they just thought and breathed. The silence was wholesome and building strength that they did not know was accumulating. It was just what they needed. Marlene, as it happened, spoke in just the right moment.

"How sick is she?" Sirius glanced up at her soft-spoken words.

"Chills, fever, headache, hot flashes, the whole deal. She'll get better, but it'll take a while."

"Where had she been?" Alice spoke, glancing out the window at the still gathering snow. A foot or so already rested upon the ground.

"She went to visit her parent's graves. She must have been there hours to get so sick," he said shaking his head with worry.

"My mum used to always tell me that physical pain was always heightened when emotional was placed beside it," Alice said with a sigh. "I'm guessing Lily's sicker than she normally would have been after being out in the snow for a while."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Sirius responded.

"Well, Alice, how about you apparate back to the flat with me and we'll get all out stuff," Franks said standing. "I think camping out here might be the better option."

Alice nodded in response before clasping onto his hand. She gave the smallest of good-bye waves the group before walking out the front door with Frank. Sirius wondered if he should go with them to carry all their things, but figured they'd be sure to have it all under control.

"James needs to wake up soon, Sirius. What if there's another battle? Lily won't be able to handle herself if James was still in the Hospital Wing!" Marlene spoke as she moved to sit beside Sirius.

"Well, she won't be going to any battles anytime soon with the condition she's in now."

"What about when she's better? You know you won't be able to stop her from going."

"Then we'll just have to hope James is better by then," Sirius said softly, placing his hand against her cheek.

Marlene nodded almost mechanically, her warm brown eyes not leaving his. He was caught off guard when she suddenly leaned over and engulfed him in a tight hug. He placed his arms around her in response and buried his head into her hair, breathing in her familiar flowery scent. It was getting harder and harder to live without his best friend.

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**First off, I want to specially thank all my guest reviewers because I am not able to do so properly by PM, so THANK YOU SO MUCH! Secondly, I was talking with a friend today and confessed how sad I was about all of the gang's hardships, but then I thought a moment and realized that **_**I**_** was the one who created nearly all of them! The sadder scenes seemed to be my strong suit as well, I'll admit. Needless to say I got guilty pretty fast. Nevertheless, I went on with this chapter as planned and ended up loving it. Please review and tell me what you think!**

**-Sweet5236**


	25. Returning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

Lily shifted in her bed and instantly regretted it as nausea and pain shot through her body causing her head to ache. She squeezed her eyes closed, trying to block off some of the pain and pulled her thick blankets tighter around her and over her head, shielding her face from the sunlight streaming through the window.

It was morning, she realized, Christmas morning. Her features fell at the realization and her eyes began to sting. She bit back the tears, something she had done so many times before. She had had her chance to cry the day before and she didn't plan on doing it again anytime soon. Lily reached her arms up and rubbed at her eyes angrily, causing all thought of tears to drift away and sighed, pleased with her success.

She froze when she felt the weight of some one sitting on the bed behind her back. She turned around carefully, not wanting to cause too much pain, and blinked twice when she saw hazel eyes.

"James!" she cried out, making a move to sit up and grab hold of him. He grinned widely and pushed her shoulders back gently.

"You are sick, Missy, I don't want it getting any worse because of me," his tone was joking, but his eyes were as serious as she had ever seen them.

"Well I don't care," she pouted, sitting up.

She finally faced him once more and stared deeply into his familiar eyes. She loved his eyes so much and she had missed the reassurance she was always able to find in them and the pure comfort they so willingly offered.

The two stayed that way for minutes, doing nothing but looking into each other's eyes. It was horribly cliché and in the back of their minds they knew it, the thing was, they didn't care in the slightest because they were together again. It seemed there were far too many life-threatening events occurring so often and it was beginning to get in their head, the pattern of things that was.

One of them would always get hurt, terribly so because they were a Gryffindor and they were courageous by design. The other would be devastated, terrified, worried, uncomfortable in their own skin, and wanting nothing more for their counterpart to wake up. That was how it would always go.

The beauty in it was that both grew because of it. It made then stronger than they already were if at all possible and it gave them perspective depending on the situation. It was part of the pattern. The final part of the pattern was that it would always be _one_, never both who was stuck in some form of hospital. Perhaps the only time there'd be _both_ were in the moments they died, no doubt by some courageous means.

Of course, _no one_ would realize this because it wasn't something that was easily seen, this thing that seemed to be nothing more than a coincidence. Fate had a funny sense of humor after all and it was something people _could_ realize. It was merely the best way of making sense of things.

As Lily sat there staring at James she very nearly saw this pattern of defeat and loss that never really came to be seeing as the other _always_ woke up, but she was far too deep in different lines of thought to come to the final realization that might have very well calmed a dozen of her fears.

Lily was instead thinking of how much she loved James, and maybe even a little about how stupid she was for not realizing how wonderful he was earlier. That particular train of thought had accompanied her before, of course, so she didn't dwell on it long because the past was behind them and he was there sitting in front of her in the moment, the thing that really mattered.

She reached her small hand out, almost hesitantly and brushed her fingertips across his cheek, feeling the stubble that was growing there. He was real. It wasn't some illusion created by her ill mind. Her smile grew wide and instant euphoria spread through every part of her body, reaching the very tips of her toes and nearly causing a squeal to escape her lips.

"I missed you so much," she spoke, trying to resist the urge to jump up and down like a love-struck teenager.

That was just the thing though, she _was_ love-struck and it wasn't the first time she had made the realization. She was so in love with James it nearly scared her. It could hurt the both of them…then again; perhaps it would protect them as well.

"You missed _me_? _I_ think I nearly died missing _you_," he said with a chuckle. Lily's smile faltered for a moment and a flicker of realization crossed James' face.

"That's not funny, James," she said softly, her lips quivering for the smallest of seconds.

"Oh Lils, Lily, I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean," he trailed off, settling instead for pulling her into a tight hug. He wrapped his arms fully around her small frame, relishing in the familiar feel of her body nestling into own.

"It's okay," she mumbled into his chest, breathing in his scent. She paused for a moment. "I'm gonna get you _sick_," she mused aloud. He only squeezed her tighter.

"Do I look like I care, Darling?" he whispered into her wile red curls. They stuck up all over the place due to her restless sleep the night before, yet he still found them absolutely adorable.

"Well you should, but you've already been sick for _days_, weeks really."

"Well that's too bad, but I think I'll take the risk," he said chuckling.

"I love you _so _much James…more than you could _ever_ imagine," she whispered with as much meaning as she could possibly muster.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me feel. I love you too, Lils," he spoke, squeezing her even tighter.

The two heard the door creak open a little farther, but didn't give it a second glance when they hear a familiar, rather annoyingly loud, voice.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS POTTERS!" Sirius screamed, his face aglow with cheer at that fact that it was a) Christmas, his most favorite holiday on the face of the planet and b) his two best friends were both back from the hospital wing at Hogwarts. He could hear Remus' voice from downstairs and he could see James right in front of him.

"GROUP HUG!" he yelled before jumping onto the bed and engulfing the two of them in a giant hug of his own.

Suddenly, a large number of footsteps were heard pounding up the stairs. Lily laughed, guessing who was creating the many footsteps. Just as she suspected Marlene, Alice, and Frank had all jumped onto the bed as well, all wrapping their arms around each other and creating one large group hug just as Sirius suggested.

"I'd join in," a voice Lily hadn't heard in a long time started, "but I'm a bit too sore."

Lily suddenly pushed the many arms around her off and struggled to get out of the little circle that had been formed. She stumbled off the bed, nearly falling over in the process. She heard Sirius snicker behind her and sent him a deathly glare that nearly left him withering.

In two long, excited strides she was to Remus in a flash, flinging her arms around his neck and nearly causing him to topple to the ground. He wrapped his arms around her in return and closed his eyes tight, breathing in deeply. He had missed her. She was one of his best friends after all.

"Oh Remus, why did you leave?" she whispered into his chest.

She still couldn't get over how much taller he was than her. All three of them actually, James and Sirius as well, were so much taller than her that it was actually a bit annoying. She could still remember when she was inches taller than them. Granted, it had only been one or two in their first year, but it was still something and they had quickly grown much taller.

"I'm sorry Lily…I put you all in danger, James never would have," he started, but Lily interrupted him.

"It wasn't your fault, Remus."

"But it was," he began.

"No, it wasn't. If anything I've been expecting you to leave for a long time really, I was just denying it…I understand why you had to go."

"Really?" he asked hesitantly.

"Really truly," she spoke in a singsong voice. Remus smiled and looked over her shoulder to everyone else sitting there with smiling faces. He motioned them over and the two were instantly crowed in another group hug.

##########

"PRESENT TIME!" Sirius yelled once Lily had successfully gotten downstairs and into the kitchen without passing out. She was better, much better, but still extremely lightheaded.

She had one of her favorite blankets wrapped tightly around her, trying not to let any of the chilly air touch her. She usually upped the heat on especially cold nights like the one before but didn't have the chance once she had fallen ill and Sirius obviously had no clue about the muggle heating system she had made James install.

Perhaps it was only for that nostalgic feel of turning the dial and relishing in the heat. Of course, she could always use her wand, but there was something comforting about the familiar sense it brought.

"Siirrriiiiuuussss," she whined. "At least let me eat breakfast,"

"But Suuunnnnsssshhhiiiinnneeee," he whined in return, earning a roll of the eyes from everyone else in the room.

"No buts, Mister, I'm sick and hungry," she said crossing her arms, which was a bit difficult considering how she was tied around in a blanket.

She stood only to be pushed back into her seat by James who smiled the sweetest of smiles before moving to their cupboards to get Lily some cereal. He grabbed her favorite, something extra sugary and chocolate-y, along with a small orange ceramic bowl and some milk from the fridge. He set the three down in front of her and poured the cereal and milk before she could even touch it.

"You, are not well, let me coddle you for a bit." He whispered with that same smile she loved on his face.

"You are great James," she said before spooning the food gratefully into her mouth.

"Fine," Sirius finally said frowning, trying not to smile as hard as he could. He was at least glad she began eating so they could get on with Christmas. "But only because you're sick and need to get better so we can open PRESENTS!"

"There's more to Christmas than presents, Padfoot," Remus spoke, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Like what?" Sirius asked in disbelief.

"Like love and friendship," Lily put in with a helpful smile.

"_Family_, too," James spoke.

"All that mushy stuff," Marlene said with a laugh, moving to sit on Sirius's lap.

"Well it sounds absolutely _wonderful_," Sirius began. "Presents are pretty wonderful too though."

"I'll admit," James said laughing. "I agree about the presents."

"Who wouldn't?" Remus said with a smile of his own.

"Hey look Sirius, I'm finally done with my cereal. Guess what that means!" Lily spoke happily moments later.

"PRESENTS!" Sirius yelled. "Oh…and love and friendship and family and all that jazz," he added as an afterthought.

"Yes, Sirius, presents," she said grinning.

He nearly pushed Marlene off of his lap before grabbing onto her hand and pulling her to the Christmas tree in the Potter's living room where they had transferred all of the presents. He looked over his shoulder and was happy to see that Lily, James, Remus, Frank, and Alice were following behind him. He turned back to Marlene and his grin widened.

"You first Miss Marley!" he spoke excitedly.

"Wow, Sirius, I am pleasantly surprised at the restraint you are showing," she said grinning. "No, you can go first."

With one last shout of 'PRESENTS!' Sirius dove beneath the tree and passed each of them out to the people around him; the people that were his family. It was a wonderful Christmas indeed.

##########

** A shorter chapter than usual, yes, I know and I apologize, but I thought it would work out best with the returns of everyone. Yay for that too! I loved getting James and Remus back and I hope you guys did too…more on Remus' leave in the next chapter as well. I'm also going to be speeding some things up in the next few chapters. I'm going to end the story sometime around the time when James and Lily announce that they are having Harry, which is sometime early November of the next year. Please review and thank you all!**

** -Sweets5236**

**P.S. Sorry for mistakes :/**


	26. As the Months go by

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**Winter, 1979**

The winter was brutal, blowing in more and more snow nearly every day causing the quaint village of Godric's Hallow to become, for lack of better words, trapped. Of course, the crafty ones, the ones with the wands and the spells stored up in their heads had dozens of alternatives as to how to escape the snowed in town. Apparating, floo network, the whole lot was still open to them giving a feeling of pride that appeared whether they wanted it to or not.

While Lily, a muggle at heart, found herself reverting to the ways of extra blankets and turned up thermostats, James took a more magical approach. The living room would begin to show signs of chilling and he'd wave his wand. In seconds the problem was nonexistent. The windows would begin to fog over and another wave and the view out onto the winter wonderland was crystal.

As soon as Christmas and New Years had passed a schedule of sorts began to take over. It was nearly the same every day, but Sirius never failed to make sure the Potters mixed things up every now again because he was sure James would go mad if he didn't.

Thus being said, the Potter's morning started with Lily pushing James out of bed, insisting that she refused to be late to work _again_. James would then mumble something about how they were never late and would encase himself tightly in a blanket despite the need to shuffle down the stairs while wearing it. He would sit at the table, placing his head on the hard wood and doze off for a few moments before Lily came down the stairs, dressed and ready as always. She'd hand him his lifesaver, a large cup of coffee, and she'd shovel down a Poptart, something James had just been introduced to and found far too sugary for his liking (which was saying something).

Work came next. The two would step into the fireplace, clutching tightly to the others hand, and disappear in a green flash with not more than a few words and some powder. They'd meet up with their fellow aurors, namely a dead tired Sirius and Marlene, and a beaming Alice (who had always been a morning person) dragging along Frank. Paperwork seemed to be the only thing they did for the Ministry anymore. They wouldn't get sent out _ever_. Voldemort had infiltrated the Ministry. He had done it subtly, but after time it had become quite obvious. The aurors were rarely out due to the fact that they had their jobs to defeat the very people who followed Voldemort.

After work was always an adventure though. They'd listen to Lily's muggle records and dance around the living room, make cake just for the heck of it, visit Hogwarts, go to auror meetings, and of course the occasional mission always popped up though James was no longer allowed to go without talking about it with Lily first.

Everything traveled along through the whole winter in this manner. It was somewhat peaceful and definitely a new start for the Marauders. Things actually appeared to be normal and each of them thought differently of this normality that was flowing through their group.

Sirius, for one, was bored, terribly so. Sure, he found the Order meeting brilliant as he always had, but what else was there to look forward to? Definitely not paperwork. He was used to dashing around Hogwarts with a pocket full of dung bombs, hiding around corners at any given second. Once he got out of school he became used to whipping his wand out at virtually any sound because the need was dire and battles were often. Why had things slowed down? He was definitely suspicious as January melted into February and February turned to March without any one battle. People were disappearing though, yet no one seemed to notice except the Order.

Marlene, on the other hand, was grateful for the break they were receiving and didn't want to think of _why_ things were so slow. She practically floated through life in those few months because she was in _love_. Deeply so really, she knew because every time Sirius held her hand her heart would flutter and every time she saw him walking towards her she'd feel like she was safe and could be happy. Her family was disappearing, you see. Her very few uncles and aunts that were still living had seemed to disappear off the face of the planet. Yes, it was worrying, but Marlene was trying to be more of an optimist. In fact, Alice was giving her lessons, something that made Sirius explode with laughter every time she mentioned them. Sirius made her grin like a madman despite her dozens of worries and that was exactly what she needed. Life was good in her mind.

Frank and Alice were content as well, perfectly happy with their lives together. Of course they were adorable together as well, always holding hands and being each other's strength. They were that beacon of happiness that lay in the background. They were prepared to face whatever might be thrown at them no matter what it was as long as they were together. The two were smart, realizing that their moment of peace would dissipate soon. They basked in the moments they _did_ have though, keeping each other close.

James and Lily were standing strong as they always have. Bickering as usual, they kind of…tripped through life. Lily taught James the ways of cleaning while James actually got her on a broomstick. They were cautious too though, a little too much for Sirius' taste. Wands were always at the ready and training was done every afternoon.

Lily found it surreal, the life that they were living after all the tragedy they have had to endure. The simplicity of things scared her and the _not knowing_ was the worst part of it all. She didn't want the surprise that was guaranteed to come. Lily wished to understand what was happening, understand Voldemort's plans for them. She knew that they were included in whatever he was preparing for. It was inevitable.

It was Remus, however, that was having the most trouble. He was jobless, his pride crushed to a pulp, and moral frighteningly low. He was still lost though his friends had already found him months ago. His only inkling of hope was the potential offer Dumbledore had for him. The old wizard was hinting at it during the Order meetings, always talking about how he needed a new teacher at Hogwarts. Remus was scared he was getting his hopes up, but it was the way Dumbledore's eyes twinkled whenever he mentioned it, as if he was taunting Remus with a chance at a new life.

You see, Remus didn't want a _new start_. He wanted to wallow in self-pity and mope around all day because it was something he had never been able to do before. Every one was pushing him though, pushing him to be happy and get a job. A small part of him, the old Remus maybe, _did_ want that, but what did the old Remus ever get in return for being that nice, caring guy? He got pain and misery, every one around him did. All he knew was that he wanted to be happy and the only way he could get that was to take the time to feel sad if even only for a little while.

##########

**Spring 1979**

It wasn't until the spring that Lily and James began to speak of the world and what was happening, if it was only for a few moments. They came to acceptance of sorts in this season and learned that it was okay to not know what was happening all the time.

"Sunshine! It's warm and the snow is melting and flowers will start growing!" Lily exclaimed, throwing the curtains open and letting the sunlight stream into the room.

"It burns!" James murmured, burrowing deeper beneath his pillows.

"Shut up you…you…" Lily sighed; she had never been good at comebacks.

"Come one Lils, shut the curtains," he pleaded, his voice muffled.

"James, get out of bed! It's a Saturday, no work. We can go and do something couple-y for once!" she said plopping onto the bed, causing it to bounce with her weight.

He peaked head out from beneath the covers and gave her that puppy dog look that never worked. While, yes, she found it incredibly adorable, it was never able to actually accomplish anything. His mop of inky hair was hilariously sticking up every way, worse than usual and Lily couldn't help but let out the smallest of giggles. His hazel eyes took on that mischievous look and Lily grinned widely.

"Are you laughing at me, Lily?" he spoke with laughter of his own written in his tone.

"Of course not," she spoke with that same grin still on her face. James smiled right back and swung his feet out from beneath the covers.

"Fine then, we can go and do something 'couple-y' if that's what you really want," he said rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

"Yay!" Lily said, clapping her hands together and jumping off the bed. "Now go and get dressed and ready, I'll be downstairs eating breakfast."

"You'll make me coffee?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, I'll make you as much coffee as you'd like," she said smiling.

James nodded in understanding and made the moves to get some clothes from his dresser. He watched Lily leave the room with a little bounce in her step and was happy to see how excited she looked. Sure they were together nearly every second of every day, but it wasn't often that they got to be together alone, talking and laughing together, telling stories.

A sudden rush of excitement ran through him at the thought of spending the day with her. She was truly the love of his life and he couldn't think of a better way of doing things than to do them with her. In that moment he promised to stay realized, set on having fun with his wife rather than paranoid about what might jump out from behind the corner.

While James got psyched up about their day together Lily was dancing around the kitchen, just as excited as he was. She whipped herself up some sugary cereal in celebration as James' coffee was being made in the coffee maker. She made sure to open up all the windows, letting the still chilled air and sunshine filter in.

Lily had always loved spring. It was a time of rebirth and new beginnings. She could barely remember the last time she had seen the sun shining so bright and the sight of it made some sort of darkness, brought on by winter, escape her.

"Ready?" James asked once he came down the stairs.

"Yep," she replied, handing him his coffee mug before offering him her arm. "You can drink it on the way, let's go,"

"Go where?" he asked, following her out the front door.

"A park, a special one at that."

##########

Lily wobbled a bit as her feet touched the ground. She was never able to apparate without nearly falling over every time she hit solid land again. Luckily, James was nearly always there to steady her and gripped her arm tightly, keeping her upright.

She glanced around and smiled. It was just as she remembered it. The grass was peeking from beneath the rapidly melting snow and the trees and bushes laid out in the background were beginning to become green again. Even the old swing set she used to fly off of was the very same rusty yellow, moving slightly in the breeze. The sight was nearly overwhelming and she raised her hand to her lips, trying to dim the amazingly bright smile that was there.

She turned to look at James and saw him smile in understanding. She pulled her wand out boldly and raised both of her arms. She moved them in a slow steady motion and watched the area around them blossom with each movement. The snow melted into the ground and the grass sprung up, turning from a sickening yellow to a dark and lively green. Little purple flowers rose up between the blades and matching ones of a more pink and red color appeared on the trees that had quickly gained large oval leaves. The park she had grown up playing in instantly turned into the beautiful pictures she used to love.

She lowered her hands and looked at the area surrounding the park and back to what she had just done. The road behind them was still laced in snow while the park in front of them was the perfect image of summer. It was gorgeous. She grinned and pulled a blanket and basket out from her bag that she had shrunk. She laid the classic red-checkered blanket out on the ground and set the picnic basket on top of it before plopping down. James followed suit and grabbed her hand as soon as he was on the blanket.

"You are amazing," he said, looking around just as she was.

"Why thank you," she said with a smile, pulling out some sandwiches she had made.

"You love this place, don't you?" he asked.

"I always have," she said. "I grew up here after all. It's hard not to love it actually."

"I understand. I'm glad you took me here," he said before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"What do you think is happening, James?" she asked him.

"What do you mean?"

"What is he planning? Voldemort, I mean."

"Something big…he's waiting for something," he said after a moment of thought.

"What would he be waiting for though?"

"I don't know, but lets not talk about that today. It's our day off after all," he said grinning.

"No, you're right," she said shaking her head. "Let's just enjoy this sunshine while we have it here."

"I love you, Lily."

"I love you too."

##########

**Summer 1979**

It was summer that the next exciting thing happened, setting a few other things into motion. It was also one of the last days that things would be so incredibly _normal_ though none of them realized it. Voldemort was finally ready to make his next move in the game. The registration forms were finally doing him some good.

As he mapped out his plan on that day, Sirius and Lily had a heart to heart, a short one at that, however.

"Lily? Evans? Oh fine, Potter? SUNSHINE WHERE ARE YOU!" Sirius yelled through the Potter home.

"Quit your hollering, I'm coming!" she exclaimed walking out of the kitchen as she dried her hands with a towel. "What do you want?" she asked exasperatedly.

"Just some good old advice from my favorite Lily _ever_," he said raising his hands.

"As far as I know I'm the _only_ Lily you've ever met," she said chuckling.

"I know," he said with a shrug. "That way as few people as possible get their feelings hurt."

"Well way to be, Sirius," she said smiling before motioning for him to sit down on the couch with her.

"James is gone?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said somewhat hesitantly, not knowing what he was getting at.

"Good…" he said running a hand through his hair nervously.

"Is everything okay?" she asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Just fine. Here's the thing though…" he paused, looking even more nervous.

"What?" she asked, beginning to get worried.

"I need girl advice! There, I said it, laugh all you want!" he finally exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. Lily smiled.

"That is absolutely adorable, Sirius. What would you like to know?"

"You see, the thing is…"

"Spit it out Sirius, come on," she urged him.

"I love her! I'm in love with Marlene and I don't know what to do!"

He stood up and began pacing with his hands behind his back. He looked a mess and Lily for some reason found it hilarious though she was able to hold her laughter in.

"Well," she started, causing him to turn his head. "There is actually quite an easy solution."

"Please!" he nearly begged. "Just tell me, I _need_ to know!"

"Tell her."

"What?" he asked, wanting clarity.

"You heard me. Tell her."

"I can't just _tell her_! I thought you were supposed to be good at giving advice!"

"Come on Sirius, be a man! She'd want to know!" Lily exclaimed.

"Fine then, I'll tell her. It seems to be the only option at this point."

"Good job, now how are you going to do it?"

"How am I going to do it? Gosh, this seems to get more and more complicated by the minute!" he exclaimed.

"Well you have to do it right."

"How do I know what is 'right' when I don't know the first thing about absolutely any of this?" he asked.

"You'll know, just make it special."

"Make it special…yeah, I can do that. Thanks so much, Sunshine! You're the best!" he yelled before running out the front door as quickly as he had come.

Just as the door shut behind him green flames appeared in the fireplace along with James' head. He appeared worry, his glasses askew on his nose.

"Emergency Order meeting, something happened," he explained.

Those words were the very end to the months of normal. It was September 1979 and had been a calming eight months. They were ready to fight.

##########

** I am so sorry! I forgot to tell you all in the last chapter that I'd be going up to the mountains for the weekend, hence the SUPER late chapter. To make matters worse I finished it this morning and only just realized I haven't yet posted it. I'm so so so so so so sorry and hope that you guys will all find a way to forgive me. This chapter is a jumbled mess, I know, but I needed to skip quite a bit ahead in time. I will have a few chapters of this year (1979) and skip a bit more to a month or so before Harry is born. The story will end a bit after his birth. I apologize once more! Please Review!**

** -Sweets5236**


	27. Communication

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

Lily stepped into her fireplace and grabbed a handful of the familiar powder that rested at the side. She threw it to her feet rather dramatically and was gone with the word, "Hogwarts!" shouted clearly. She closed her eyes lightly, ignoring the sensation of traveling through the floo network until she finally came upon the desired fireplace, the one that was resident in Professor Dumbledore's Office.

She stepped out to see familiar faces namely James, the Prewitt brothers, Alice and Frank, Dorcas Meadowes, Caradoc Dearborn, and new recruit Benjy Fenwick. Benjy was enthusiastic, incredibly so. Her reminded Lily strongly of James during their younger years, he had that same humored spirit, but with less tragedy laced through it. His laugh was warm and welcoming and Lily was incredibly grateful for him because he made Remus laugh, something that was hard to do those days.

Remus was…distant, constantly weary and put out. He worried Lily sometimes but she gave him the space she knew he so strongly desired. He'd come to her when he wished to talk to her again. From what Dumbledore had queued them in on, he had gone through a rough few weeks when he had ran off. They had been all for nothing as well. The "Cures" he had tested obviously hadn't worked because he had just experienced the final day of the full moon only nights before. Nothing had changed, absolutely nothing.

Lily searched for his face in the crowd of quietly conversing people and zoned in at the sight of his ragged shaggy hair and scarred face. He was sitting upon a stray chair, elbows resting on his knees, head in his hands looking as somber as usual. He'd get over it eventually, she knew, but she couldn't help but wish to help him.

She stepped out from the fireplace just in time seeing as Sirius and Marlene appeared in the very same spots moments later. They appeared worried, as they should. It wasn't often that Dumbledore hosted "Emergency Order Meetings", he was usually more subtle than that.

"Sirius, Marley," she spoke in acknowledgment with a warm smile to accompany it.

"How are you friend? Long time no see!" Sirius spoke sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, did you get that spell you wanted out of her?" Marlene asked Sirius. He appeared hesitant and Lily realized that was what he told Marlene he had gone to visit her for.

"He got it just fine, Marley. I hope it helps," she improvised, only guilty for a second. Sirius _was_ asking for girl advice after all and it was about Marlene as well. Lily couldn't wait until he told Marlene what he felt. It made her happy just thinking about it.

"Well that's great, I'm glad you could help," Marlene spoke before grabbing onto Sirius' hand to pull him onto the chairs that were lined up in Dumbledore's office.

"Me too," Lily murmured after them with the smallest of smiles.

She moved forward, but was soon stopped by a pair of arms wrapping around her waist. She leaned back, recognizing the feel of the person standing behind her that she loved so very dearly. She moved her arms up to hold to his and rubbed small circles on them, relishing in the last few minutes of peace that she knew she might have for a long while.

"Do you know what's wrong?" she asked him, nearly scared to do so.

"Not at all, I just recently got the memo at work," James replied, nuzzling his face into her hair.

"Work where you were doing absolutely nothing," she sighed.

"Absolutely nothing besides drafting and reviewing dozen of dozen of papers," he spoke with equal disappointment.

"I'm sick of it, they're ridding us of our hours James, we're not getting the money we deserve!"

"We don't need money, love. We have all the money we could ever need," he said chuckling.

"Yes, but it's the principal of things! They can't keep sending me home like its some _favor_," she spoke disdainfully.

"You wish to do nothing but paperwork all day?" he asked good-naturedly.

"The principal, James, the principal!"

"Calm down. It will all be worked out eventually, I'm sure of it."

"We can only hope," she said tiredly.

"Exactly," he said squeezing her tighter around the waist.

"Your blatant display of affection_ sickens_ me," a more amused than disgusted voice sounded. Lily turned to see Benjy standing there smiling with that wide grin of his. He sounded just like Sirius sometimes.

"You know you love it, Benjy," James taunted.

"Not likely," he replied pulling a face that made Lily grin. "Do you lot know why we're here. I have very _important _business to attend to."

"Important as in planning on sneaking dungbombs into my flat?" Sirius drawled coming up behind them.

"Please, I have so much more…class than that, give me a little credit."

"Credit? Sure, we'll give you that, but just know that you'll never be able to beat the _masters_," another voice, this one obviously tired, said.

"How are you Remus?" Lily asked him.

"Better, much better. I've been getting extra rest and its been doing me some good."

"Well that's wonderful, and Benjy, I have no idea why we're here. You James?" she asked tilting her head up to look at him.

"You asked me that earlier, love, but no I don't. Sirius?"

"Not at all. I'm just hoping old Dumbles will show up sometime soon."

"Give him his time," Remus started. "He'll be here soon."

"There's the old man now," Benjy spoke rather loudly at the sound of a door opening behind them. The door swung open to reveal Albus Dumbledore just as he had said. Lily smiled a bit amused at Benjy's bravery.

"Why thank you Mr. Fenwick, I think an announcement of sorts was just the thing we needed to get everyone's attention," Dumbledore spoke, blue eyes sparkling. He did indeed have everyone's attention as well and made moves to get to the front of the group assembled.

"How are you Albus?" James asked as the man walked past him. Dumbledore smiled wryly and patted James on the shoulder fleetingly.

"Well enough Mr. Potter, thank you for asking."

Dumbledore continued to the front of his office until he was finally up on a step, a bit higher than everyone else, looking over them. His gaze was calculating and every now and again it would stop on a member of the Order and he'd nod in acknowledgement. When his eyes fell upon the Prewitt twins his expression brightened noticeably.

"Boys," he said. "Give Molly and Arthur my congratulations and apologies as well." He turned to the confused crowd and explained. "Molly gave birth to two rather healthy twin boy this past April and I'm afraid I have not yet been given the chance to visit them."

"Fred and George," James said, leaning in so that only Lily would hear him. "Born on April Fool's day, Sirius and I are thinking of training them up, you know, the next generation of Marauders."

"Very funny, Molly won't let you near them," she replied chuckling. James shrugged in response as if he weren't convinced. The two turned back to Dumbledore as he began talking again.

"There have been disappearances as you have all noticed I'm sure, and I find that it's time we better equip ourselves for whatever lies out there," he said strongly. "I know that you wouldn't think this enough reason for an emergency meeting, but we are running out of time."

"Time?" Sirius spoke up questioningly.

"Yes, time. Voldemort has a plan, a strong one at that and we are nearly out of moments of peace. It won't be long before he strikes."

"So what do we do?" Fabian Prewitt asked loudly.

"I realize that in these past few months we have held very few meetings, there is a reason for this. I have been working on a means of communication that should prove to be much more effective than floo networks."

"What's wrong with floo networks?" Caradoc asked.

"I have reason to suspect they are being monitored. One is not always by a fireplace connected to the floo as well, it would do us good to be prepared."

"So what's the spell?" Alice spoke.

"First I must ask a very important question, who of you can do a patronus charm?"

Nearly the whole room raised their hands, the whole room except for Lily. She timidly bowed her head; somewhat ashamed she was not able to do the magic. It wasn't that she couldn't, it was just that she had never learned. It seemed that it had been skipped over in their seventh year curriculum, yet James, Sirius, Marlene, Alice, and Frank all seemed to know how to do it just fine.

It suddenly hit her how important that kind of magic was, the kind that ran on happiness. For a moment she wondered if she'd be able to do it at all. She knew happiness, sure, but it was more than hard to experience the extreme happiness that was needed to produce a patronus.

"You were sick, Lily," James whispered into her ear. "In the hospital wing, it was early January after the battle on New Years. I'd forgotten. I'm sorry.

"It's fine James," she finally breathed. "I can learn well enough."

"I can help you, give you tips," he started, but she cut him off.

"It's fine James, I can figure it out just fine." She didn't want their pity, she was stronger than that and wasn't going to let one spell get the best of her. She knew she wouldn't give up no matter how many times she had to attempt it. If it was important enough she'd be able to succeed in no time, or so she hoped.

Dumbledore gave nothing more than a short nod in her direction before continuing. She was immensely grateful that he didn't make a big deal about it. Then again, she knew that he wouldn't which was why she was so fond of the old man.

"I have discovered a way to speak through the form of a patronus," he said simply, as if it were the easiest thing to understand in the world.

The room immediately interrupted in chatter. Manipulating a spell wasn't simple magic by any means, especially one that was so pure and light. Dumbledore must have gone through millions of failures before reaching the success he wanted and they all realized it. The respect for the man, if possible, rose in all the people present. They had never though they could see him in any higher respects, but there he was, proving once again how amazing he was.

"How does it work?" Sirius asked, causing the room to fall silent.

"Brilliant question Mr. Black, do you mind doing a demonstration?" Dumbledore asked.

Sirius nodded and weaved his way through the small crowd to the front of the room where Dumbledore was standing. Lily realized how much he had changed since their seventh year once he was standing up there. His jaw line was stronger, more dramatic, his hair not as shaggy as it had been and somewhat groomed, and his eyes had a steel to them, the steel of experience. Sirius was all grown up, no longer the little boy pulling pranks that he was. He was an adult, Lily realized, they all were. When did that happen? She wondered this over and over again as she watched him standing there.

"You can preform a patronus?" Dumbledore asked him. Sirius nodded shortly. "Go ahead and do it, I'll guide you through the rest.

Sirius nodded once more and his eyes closed lightly. He took in a deep breath in and out and before long a radiant smile had appeared on his face. It was the happiest she had seen him in a very long time. His grey eyes fluttered open and he grinned wider before pulling his wand out of his sleeve.

"_Expecto Patronum_," he pronounced boldly.

His words sent a shiver down Lily's spine. The emotion that was hammered into them was astounding. In seconds a glowing silvery light flew out of the tip of his wand before forming the shape of a large shaggy dog. It was Sirius' animagus she realized. The dog pranced around the room merrily, jumping through the air. It flew towards her and James, taking a moment to sniff them before jumping off into the air once more. Lily grinned widely, the mere thought of it made her happy.

"Now Mr. Black, concentrate, don't lose it." Dumbledore said smoothly and calmly. "Spin your wand counterclockwise, only once, before touching it to your throat."

Sirius followed the man's words, looking only a bit confused. As soon as the wand was raised to his throat the dog seemed to pause before bounding over to him and sitting at his feet, still full of silvery white light.

"Speak the words of the charm one more time, envision who you'd like to get the message."

"_Expecto Patronum_," Sirius breathed, eyes closed in deep concentration.

"Speak the words you want to be in the message."

Sirius whispered the words, soft enough for no one but himself to hear. Lily wondered what it was he had said and whom he was saying it to.

"Lower your wand when your finished Sirius," Dumbledore spoke to him.

Sirius complied and stood still, watching the patronus dog at his feet. It soon stood from its sitting position and trotted slowly across the room to stand right in front of Lily and James, eyeing them carefully.

"You guys better hear this or I'll be made a fool in front of _everyone_," the dog suddenly spoke in Sirius' voice.

James instantly chuckled and looked up to give Sirius a smile. The room was silent, in awe for several moments, before breaking out into applause. He had been successful.

Lily marveled at what had just happened. She had never seen magic like it before. Communication wasn't something people really cared about all that much. They had floor networks and apparation that was all that was really needed. In the days they were in though, it could mean life or death. People could now talk to each other miles away, warning them, informing them, helping them, saving them. It was only a singular spell, yet Lily knew it would save lives.

"The spell is fairly simple as you all see," Dumbledore began. "I wish for you all to work together and try to accomplish it. It is of the upmost importance that you complete this _tonight_."

"Why tonight?" James asked aloud.

"You need to know this tonight, because I fear that Voldemort is making a move _tomorrow_."

"How do you know?" James asked, a bit scared.

"Because he told me."

##########

**Battle next chapter with twists and turns! I hope you liked this sorta filler chapter no matter how much of a filler chapter it is. I just want to inform you guys that the story **_**will**_** end soon, maybe in five or so chapters. It will end with the announcing of Harry's birth. "Holding Onto Hope" will be the conclusion to the trilogy and more information on what that's about and when it'll come out will come later. Thanks so much for your support, please review!**

**-Sweets5236**

**P.S. Sorry for bad grammar :/**


	28. Some Stalling and Worries

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

An achingly bright azure painted the skies above, mixing together with the scent of wheatgrass and wildflowers that were purely summer. Rolling hills were blanketed in green and willowy trees danced in the smallest of breezes. The scene was beautiful enough to make even the most busy man stop and smile, telling himself how incredibly lucky he was to live on the earth. This scene was quickly burning into fall, soon to become a world of warm reds and fiery oranges, but it was something no one would notice until it happened.

I'm sorry to say, however, there was a problem with this scene. This problem outweighed _everything_, the gloriously bright sun shining high in the sky and the harmoniously singing bluebirds sitting on the tips of the trees. It loomed over everything, shadowing it and causing the world to bow down before it without a second thought.

What is this problem? The problem was that you couldn't see this scene because it wasn't there. Perhaps in some other time it _did _appear to be so beautiful but on that late September day it was only depressing.

The thought provoking blue sky was switched for a depressingly ashy gray and the rolling hills appeared desolate and _dead_. The birds were utterly, heartbreakingly silent for fear of what might happen if they were to make a sound and the smiling sun appeared dismal and lacking of heat. _Sadness_ and _fear_ radiated off of the numerous living things that had seemed to have lost every ounce of their once tremendous beauty.

The grey and worry was produced by a number of things; death eaters roaming the streets frequently, people disappearing daily, and dementors patrolling through the night, bringing more terror than safety. Hanging over all of this was Voldemort with his near genius plan and cunning insight. He was prepared unlike so many of the witches and wizards upon the land.

Their lacking was something he strived off of, something he looked forward to seeing. It gave him confidence in what he was getting ready and confidence was something very important indeed.

His plans were finally falling into place, piece-by-piece, _item-by-item_. He was nearly _invincible_ and there was a small price to pay for the near guarantee that he would live forever. All he had left to do was crush the Order, crush their remaining hope, only then would be have the upper hand because as much as he despised admitting it, there were far more people rooting for _freedom_ than _reform_.

##########

While Voldemort had his plans, Albus Dumbledore had his own and though he was not one to wallow in self-glory, he was confident in what they would bring. Albus was a hopeful man, always sure that things would turn out the way they were supposed to be. The thing was, he was positive the way things were supposed to be did not involve anything Tom had planned.

His former pupil was shallow and one to think ahead, he did not, however, evaluate the things more essential for they were the things he did not understand. Perspective, hope, and most importantly _love_ were the things that kept the people going; the people who still believed there would be sunnier days.

The brilliance of his communication spell shown with these qualities. A Patronus charm was one of the most pure forms of magic in existence, which meant that only the pure at heart could use it to the best of their abilities. It was hard to have happiness when all of your hope was gone. The Order ran off of hope, which was the very reason why Albus Dumbledore believed that they had the upper hand.

##########

"Two words Sunshine, you can do this," Sirius spoke encouringly, jumping around her a bit and rubbing his hands together.

His expression appeared hopeful and not the least bit worried seeing as Lily was a genius when it came to mastering spells. Granted, her talents had always lingered in the charms, but Lily excelled in Defense Against the Dark Arts as well and he had no fear. After all, Lily was generally a happy person yet when he thought of this he became worried. The Patronus Charm ran on the happiness that came from _within_ and there was no way to really know whether or not Lily contained that needed happiness.

"It might take time," he corrected after a few moments of deep thought. "You can do it though, I'm _positive_."

Lily was reminded momentarily of James during Quidditch matches at Hogwarts. He was always so jumpy, yet encouraged the others that they'd do fine while they all knew he was only trying to convince _himself_. That seemed to worry Lily even more, however, and she hadn't thought her nerves could become any more frazzled.

"Yeah, two words I have to master in a matter of _hours_," she spoke in obvious distress.

She began pacing back and forth, hands clasped tightly behind her back. A pair of strong, worn hands suddenly stopped her motions. Her head turned to face a pair of warm hazel eyes that instantly calmed her racing heart.

"You can do it Lily, it'll be okay, I promise," James pleaded, wishing for her to gain confidence in herself. She squeezed her eyes shut and said his words over and over again in her head, slowly beginning to believe that she could actually do it.

"You're right. Of course you're right. I can do this! When haven't I been able to do a spell? It'll probably be easy!" she said aloud, trying to convince herself more than she was actually sure of it.

"That's the spirit, Lils!" Marlene spoke, patting her best friend on the back encouragingly.

Lily smiled brightly at Marlene, suddenly thinking of what Sirius had told her not long before. She knew that Marley felt his same love; Lily could see it shining in her eyes constantly. That love was embedded in everything that she did and the only one left to notice it was Sirius himself.

"Ready to try?" James asked her, causing her thoughts to swirl away.

"Definitely," she breathed. "Let's get this finished, we don't have much time after all," she turned and inspected those around her as she spoke. Several glowing creatures dashed around the room brightly bringing a smile to her lips.

##########

Remus watched as his friends began to explain to Lily how to correctly execute the Patronus charm and felt something deflate within him. How could he be expected to find such bright happiness when he was only just beginning to climb out of his own personal pit of despair? Granted, he was getting better, once more finding little pieces of happiness every now and again in the silliest things. It was a start, but he was still struggling.

His eyes flicked around the room and his confidence sank further at the smiling faces and bright eyes around him. His arms prickled, reminding him of the pain he had gone to to try and find a cure and his happiness level sunk farther. It was as if the world was pushing him down, not wanting him to succeed in preforming the spell.

He didn't want to be pushed down any farther though. He wanted to be pushed up. He wanted to be the fun, loving, Remus Lupin he had always been. His endless brooding was beginning to get on his nerves. He realized almost instantly that there was one simple solution, however. He nearly laughed at the thought that he had only just realized that _he_ was the only one who could quit the wallowing and that he could do it whenever he wished.

"Are you all right, Mr. Lupin?" a calm and soothing voice spoke. He turned to see Dumbledore looking at him thoughtfully with his blue twinkling eyes that Remus had always remembered.

"I'm…wonderful really," he spoke with a weary smile. His moods were really all over the place, he decided. Perhaps it was a side effect of the endless tiredness he so often felt.

"Have you tried the spell yet?" the man asked.

"Not quite,"

"Hesitant?"

"Definitely. I feel like there's nothing worth fighting for if I fail," Remus spoke without a second thought. His own words surprised him.

"You're a clever man, Mr. Lupin."

"Why do I feel that way?"

"Well tell me, what does it take to make a Patronus?"

"Happiness,"

"The only way happiness comes is through hope. If we don't have hope then I'm afraid there's nothing worth fighting for for any of us."

Remus contemplated his words for a moment before slowly drawing out of wand with deliberate movements. He didn't concentrate, didn't focus deeply on doing it correctly. He just did, letting all of his hope glide out of the wand and get pushed into two beautiful words.

"_Expecto Patronum_,"

He knew his hope was more than enough when the bold figure of a werewolf stood before him.

##########

"Do you understand?" Sirius asked once they finished explaining the mechanics of the spell best they could.

"Of course. Waving the wand, saying the words, love, happiness, and memories," she confirmed nodding her head confidently.

"Well go ahead then," James urged her, beaming at the sight of Remus' patronus across the room.

"Wait, what?"

"Do the spell," Marlene urged.

"Right now?"

"Yes, right now," Sirius spoke.

"You just want me to do it! Just like that!" she exclaimed, surprised.

"Just like that," Sirius said grinning.

"I can't just _do it_!"

"Well why not?" Marlene asked.

"Because….because….well it's a hard spell!" Lily spoke with wide eyes.

"How would you know if you've never tried it?" James asked, trying to hold in his laughter.

"I _know_," she spoke so assuredly, completely convinced.

"Well I _know_ that you need to do the spell because I want to go home and _sleep_," James spoke, amused at his wife.

"I don't know…" she said biting the corner of her lip. "Maybe I should just wait, try it when I need it. I know how to do it after all," she spoke quickly.

"Stop stalling, Sunshine," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "Just do the spell."

"What if I can't do it?" she asked.

"Then you'll try again," Marlene spoke as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Try again?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"You can do it as many times as you wish, I assure you Lily," a new voice spoke which Lily instantly recognized as Dumbledore.

"I'm just a little worried is all," she said wringing her hands.

"There is no need to worry,"

"I'm…hesitant. What if I can't do it?"

"I would take Miss McKinnon's advice. Is there anything I can do to calm your nerves"

"Tell me, what is Voldemort planning? Why did he tell you? I need to know,"

"He told me to be afraid. It is the very thing we must not do."

"That's all he said?" Sirius asked.

"It is all that is important at the moment,"

It was then that a nails-on-chalkboard voice filled the room causing Lily's ears to ache and heart to throb.

"_Members of the Order. In this moment my people are gathering in the streets with lists of Mudbloods and goals of cleansing the earth. It is foolish of you to retaliate for there is no stopping my numbers. It is set in stone. Welcome to the beginning of your end. I assure you most readily that you shall not miss out on all of the fun._"

##########

**I know I spoke of a battle in this chapter and I know it's a filler of sorts, but I decided I needed to develop a number of things farther, set some things up and the sort. You don't notice in this chapter I'm sure, but it's there. I'm sorry if I disappointed you, but I promise the next chapter will be nothing short of brilliance with action and surprises that the story has sort of been lacking. You're all amazing, of course! Please review and tell me what you think will happen next.**

**-Sweets5236**


	29. Saving the Day

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"He raised the mighty sword high above his head, ready to move in for the final kill," her voice rose dramatically, dropping the tone in just the right places, adding in just enough suspense. She froze, a large grin on her face.

"Keep going Mommy, keep going! This is the best part!" her little girl squealed, peaking her head out from beneath her sky blue covers. Her golden locks stuck up and her blue eyes sparkled merrily.

"The best part?" she asked questioningly. Her daughter giggled.

"The very best, this is where the princess comes in!"

"Well what's so great about the princess?"

"She saves the day, just like _I'm_ going to save the day when _I'm_ a big girl just like her," she spoke somewhat smugly.

"Just like her?"

"_Just like her_."

"Well then, I'll keep going," the woman said with a chuckle. "Just before the handsome prince was about to slay the dangerous dragon, a daring voice from across the room yelled a thunderous, 'STOP!'"

It was then that the room was blinded in a number of lights, lights shot off from wands. The window smashed, scattering the pieces hazardously across the room and the woman was thrown from her chair.

It was the day she knew had been coming, they were there for her. Her blood was dirty, tainted along with the blood of her little girl. She could wave a wand just like the rest of them, preform the same spells, and get the same effects. They still didn't think she was worthy.

She watched, immobilized by a spell that had been thrown through the window as her daughter climbed out of her bed with frightened eyes and a gaping mouth. She looked at her mommy on the floor without a word. She was a smart little girl and remembered what her mommy and daddy had told her. She needed to hide.

With trembling limbs she pushed her small body beneath her bed, being sure to pull the blankets down along the sides so that she wouldn't be seen. She clamped her little hands over her mouth, curled her body up, and squeezed her eyes tight, just like she was told. The bad guys were coming and she had to stay save. She thought about her mom, lying out there, frozen and wanted nothing more than to crawl out and pull her under. The little girl knew that wouldn't work though, she just had to stay under the bed and everything would be okay, just like her mommy and daddy told her. She would be okay. It would all be okay.

Those little words that in reality meant practically nothing played through her head over and over again. If she thought of anything else she was scared she would break. The voices just outside her window were scary, scratchy, all of them shouting and yelling. Screams of terror mingled with the frightening voices. Even with the thick blankets covering the sides of her bed she could see the flashes of light as well. They were beautiful in a cruel way and she couldn't help but be captivated by them.

Her five-year-old heart began to race at the sound of footsteps entered her range of hearing. They were pounding, hurried and heavy. They scared her. She heard the voices of men coming closer and closer. She snuck the smallest piece from beneath her bed and saw them in long black cloaks with scary masks, picking her mother up and carrying her out. She instantly cowered back under the bed and once again clamped her hand over her mouth as the little tears ran down her cheeks. She had to be quite, she couldn't make a sound or they would find her.

The men left, leaving out the front door. She knew because she heard them blasting it apart, they must have gone in through a window. Her house was probably ruined, she knew, she had heard the crashing and banging as they came up the stairs. After wards silence entered the house. She was the only one left there. The voices outside were still strong, but they were outside.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of more footsteps once more. These ones were different though. They were soft, stead and sure. They reminded her of her mommy's footsteps. She was smart enough not to look out though, who knew who it actually was. They came closer and closer and before long she could no longer hide her gut wrenching sobs. The sound couldn't be hidden by her little hand.

She watched as the blankets covering the side of the bed began to move and terror ran through her. She screamed when the face of a woman came into view, but was instantly calmed by the look in her emerald eyes.

"It's okay little one," she cooed. Her expression was heart broken; she looked just as scared as the little girl was. "I'm here to help you,"

The girl nodded wearily, instantly trusting the woman and shimmied out from under the bed and into her arms. The women stood and the little girl buried her head into the woman's red hair. She smelled almost like her mommy.

"Your okay, yeah? Your not hurt?" she asked.

The little girl nodded. She was okay. It was going to be okay because the princess was there to save her, just like in the story book.

##########

Lily clutched the blonde little girl to her chest tightly, blinking the tears out of her eyes. She couldn't get emotional. She had to be strong. She could feel the girl trembling in her arms, no doubt from adrenaline and fear. She was smart to have hidden under the bed like that, she would have been taken if she was seen.

"What's your name, little one?" she asked the girl in as soft a voice as she could.

"C-Caroline," she mumbled.

"I'm going to take you to Hogwarts, okay Caroline?" Lily whispered. Caroline looked up and Lily's heart shattered at the sight of those sad blue eyes.

"Do you work for Mr. Dumbledore?" she asked. Her mommy had always told her stories of the brave old man with the long beard and sparkly eyes. She had told her that she'd meet him one day and a thrill of excitement ran through her at the thought. The woman smiled.

"Yes, I do actually. You're a very smart little girl, Caroline," Lily spoke.

"My daddy always told me I'd be the smartest ever at Hogwarts, but that's in a _long_ time," Caroline said matter-of-factly as Lily carried her carefully down the stairs.

"You _are_ smart, how did you know to hide under your bed?" Lily asked, a bit worried at how the child would take the question.

"My mommy and daddy told me that if the bad guys with the masks come that I need to hide and be quiet and that it would be _okay_."

Lily froze in the middle of the staircase. The parents had been expecting the death eaters. They knew what was coming and wanted to make sure that their daughter was safe. Who knew how long they had been teaching her to hide when the death eaters came knocking. It was horrible that they had to live with the fear of not knowing who was going to show up at their door and that whoever it was, could be there to kill them.

"Is your mommy a witch, Caroline?" Lily asked.

"Yes, but my grandma and grandpa are normal just like my cousins," Caroline nodded, feeling quite pleased that she was able to answer the lady's questions.

"That's great, little one," Lily breathed, not really knowing what to say.

Dumbledore had sent them each somewhere different, each to a different neighborhood that had a number of muggle-borns in it. Battles were breaking out everywhere and there weren't enough members to send more than a few to each place. Luckily, the method of communicating that Dumbledore had created would make things simpler, safer and more assuring.

Lily had been sent to Caroline's neighborhood with the Prewett brothers, Cardoc Dearborn, Hestia Jones (one of Lily's fellow Gryffindor), and Sirius. Originally, Sirius hadn't been part of the group, but James had _insisted_. James was needed in a different area, the one he had grown up in. Lily couldn't go with him because Dumbledore wanted her in Caroline's neighborhood, for the very reason of a large number of children being present. He knew she'd be able to help them and James definitely felt better knowing that the number of battles she'd be in would be limited. He had Sirius go with her to watch out for her, he needed someone he could trust with her. James was just scared, and she couldn't blame him. She nearly shook with worry at the thought of what he might be facing in that moment. Lily left her thoughts when they got to the living room of the home.

"Close your eyes, Caroline," she whispered into the girl's ear. She nodded, smart enough to realize that it was for a reason and once again snuggled her head into Lily's red curls.

The room was a wreck, Caroline's father had put up quite the fight. Furniture of warm browns were overturned everywhere and shattered glass from the windows covered the floor. Holes had been blasted into the once cheery pale blue walls and things were blown apart. The worst of it was the very obvious splatter of blood that ran along the wall. Lily didn't know whose it was; the dad's or the death eaters, but she didn't wish to frighten Caroline. The sight was horrifying and the only way to get to the door was to walk through it all. The thing Lily was scared of was tripping and dropping the little girl around her hip.

"We're almost out, sweetie," she said soothingly, patting down Caroline's curls. The girl nodded. "I just have to be careful so we're going to go real slow okay?" Caroline nodded again before realizing she didn't really know whom her hero was.

"What's your name?" she asked in a small voice.

"Lily Potter, Caroline. Want to know a secret?" Lily whispered her eyes shining. Caroline nodded. "I'm part of a secret _club_." Caroline made moves to lift her head up and look at Lily, but Lily pushed her head back down into her shoulder. "Don't look, sweetie."

"What club?" Caroline mumbled into Lily's shirt.

"The Order of the Phoenix," Lily felt Caroline wiggle excitedly.

"My mommy told me about them!" she spoke.

"Who is your mommy, Caroline? What's her name?" Lily asked suddenly curious as to how the little girl knew so much.

"Rachael C. Jones," Caroline spoke boldly. Lily thought for a moment, the name sounded familiar. Perhaps it had been someone in the years above her at Hogwarts.

"What did your mommy tell you about the Order?" Lily asked, just wanting to get Caroline's mind off of what was happening. Lily slowly stepped over a broken coffee table and wobbled a bit as her foot came to the ground on the other side. She regained her balance quickly and continued on.

"She tells me stories, _all the time_. She says that the Order is a bunch of _heroes _that will help up because there is a bad man hurting people. _You_ saved me," Caroline spoke, once hundred percent sure of her words. She paused for a moment. "Where did they take my mommy and daddy?" she whispered softly, nearly scared to ask.

"I don't know Caroline, but we're going to help them, I promise," Lily said hesitantly as she tiptoed through some glass, not wanting to get glass in her shoes. She'd normally use magic to clean it up, but she didn't want to draw attention to the home. The fighting outside was still going on. She knew they wouldn't go into the house again unless there was magic happening inside.

"Why are they fighting?" Caroline asked, referring to the spells being shouted just outside.

"They are _selfish_ and have silly ideas in their head, they just want to be special."

"Why did they take my mommy and daddy?"

"The bad man told them to," Lily said simply. She didn't want to overcomplicate things.

"Why?"

"He thinks he's special just like the men with masks and…" she paused, not knowing what to say. "He's just like the bad guys in your mommy's stories, he's mean and evil."

"I think everybody should be…_nice_. Maybe it they thought about other people they wouldn't be so mean," the five-year-old spoke wisely.

"That's a wonderful idea, if only more people realized it," Lily sighed, placing her hand on the arm of a tipped sofa to steady herself. Caroline nodded.

"How did you know to save me?"

"That bad man, he wanted to see bad things happen, so he told us. Dumbledore wanted me to help all the little boys and girls, just like you."

"Will my friends be at Hogwarts?" Caroline asked softly. Lily thought for a moment. The neighborhood contained a lot of witches and wizards. Caroline was the only one she had got to so far, however.

"Maybe, Caroline. I'll try and make sure they're safe. I'm going to save them too."

"Thank you, Lily."

At that point Lily had finally made it to the doorway. She looked at the wreckage behind her and pride ran through her at her success. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a carefully folded, thin piece of material.

"We're going to walk out of the house now, Caroline," she explained. "I'm going to put this blanket over us and it will make us _invisible_, cool, yeah?" Caroline nodded. "I'm going to set you down and hold your hand okay?"

"What if I get lost?" Caroline asked, her lip trembling.

"I'm not going to let you get lost, I'm not going to let _anything _hurt you," Lily spoke with as much feeling as she could muster.

In just the few minutes she had known little Caroline she had become incredibly fond of the brave girl with the golden curls. Lily had grown a sense of loyalty to Caroline, she was going to protect her, get her to safety, no matter what happened. She wondered for a moment what it would feel like if Caroline were her own child. If she cared about Caroline so much after minutes, what would it be like having years with her own little boy or girl?

She pulled herself from her thoughts a set Caroline down on the floor carefully, noticing that she was wearing fuzzy pink slippers. They would have to do. She unfolded James' invisibility cloak and flung it around the both of them, crouching low so that it would cover all of her.

"Read, Caroline?"

"Where are we going?"

"I'm going to hold your hand and we are going to walk down the street to a house. We will go into the house and disapperate from there to Hogsmeade. Have you disapperated before?" she asked.

"No," Caroline said shaking her head.

"It's a little scary and your stomach might hurt, but I'll keep you safe, okay?" Caroline nodded in response.

"Will we have to walk far?" she asked.

"Not far at all, and you know what? One of my best friends is out there fighting for you."

"Really?" she asked, eyes wide. "For me?"

"Just for you, he wants to keep you safe just like I do so you are covered _double_."

"That's _a lot_."

"Yes it is, let's go now okay? All you have to do now is hold onto my hard and walk."

"I can do that," Caroline said, putting on her brave face.

"Good, just _don't let go of my hand_," Lily urged.

Caroline beamed in understanding and took the first step out the front door, careful to keep the invisibility cloak around her and Lily. She clasped Lily's hand tightly and was pleased when the redhead moved in front of her to take the lead. She may be brave, but she wasn't _that_ brave.

The lights were still flashing outside and she could hear the men yelling spells more clearly than she could before. There were actually few figures she could make out though and Caroline was surprised that that small number of people could cause so much damage.

Caroline instantly decided who she thought were the _good guys_ and who she thought were the _bad guys_. The ones in the cloaks and scary masks were obviously the death eaters and Caroline decided that the other ones who were helping each other were Lily's friends. In the quietest voice she could make out, Caroline leaned up to Lily and whispered,

"Which one's your best friend?" She saw Lily smile slightly despite the frightening scene before them.

"See that one there?" Lily asked, pointing towards Sirius as they kept walking towards the house they could apparate in.

The number of death eaters was decreasing because just like the Order, Voldemort had limited troops. Nevertheless, Sirius was fighting off three with Fabian at his side while the others had death eaters of their own. Lily could tell they were reluctant to put too much effort into the fight seeing as there were other towns to ransack. She still wanted nothing more than to join in and help.

"He's _handsome_," Caroline giggled looking at the man with dark hair that Lily was pointing to. Lily smiled, trying to stay calm. They needed to hurry because Lily was fairly certain that their feet were showing with every other step that they took.

"Yes, he is," she said, making them walk a bit faster.

"Is he your _husband_?" Caroline whispered.

"No, my husband is saving more little girls just like you somewhere else. He's very brave,"

"Can I meet him?"

"Yes, as soon as we get to Hogwarts and you're nice and safe," Lily said, walking faster still.

Suddenly the hair on the back of her neck began to prickle. There was magic in the air. Lily instantly dropped to her knees and ducked her head, taking Caroline into her arms just in time as a red shot of light flew over her head. They sat there on the ground, not moving a muscle. She could feel Caroline shaking in her arms.

"Stand up, sweetie," she finally whispered into Caroline's ear. "We're nearly there."

There were though and within a dozen or so feet they were inside of the house, both breathing deeply and clutching onto each other. They were gone with a "CRACK". Caroline was safe, dropped off at Hogwarts. Despite her success she knew it was going to be a _long_ night because Caroline wasn't the only little girl she'd have to save.

##########

**This is the longest chapter I've written in a **_**long**_** time and I'm actually very proud of it. I love how it turned out actually and this new sort of perspective on things I'm taking is working out well for me. Caroline was fun to write as well, what did you think of her? Next chapter will continue the battle. Thanks so much!**

**-Sweets5236**

**P.S. Sorry for bad grammar**


	30. A Distraction

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

The sun had set, leaving nothing more but the dim light of the moon to light the paved road. Along the side of this road were the picture perfect lined houses with charming little mailboxes and rose bushes in the front yards. The only thing obstructing the view was several crater-sized holes in the sides of a number of the houses. Trees were fallen into the road and several small fires were burning alongside them. It was a scene of quiet chaos. Nothing was happening; everything was motionless besides the dozen or so individuals battling on the street.

It was eerily, the silence that was surrounding them; it was as if they were in their own personal bubble. The only moving thing apart from this dueling group was a woman moving quietly beneath an invisibility cloak. She was part of the reason the area so quite having saved as many individuals as she could. The last had been a little girl with blonde curls and blue eyes.

She walked confidently, crouched so the cloak wouldn't rise up and display her feet, up to a man battling, one she appeared to be quite familiar with, and she seemed to trust him.

"Sirius," the smallest of voices over his shoulder whispered. He knew better than to jump and discreetly turned his head so that he could hear her better, it was Lily who had walked up behind him. "It's time to go, _they're safe_."

The plan was to protect all the civilians within the each of the neighborhoods being attacked, get them to safety whatever the costs. They were the first priorities. Get in and get out was what Dumbledore had told them, move to the next area as quickly as possible. While the idea was simple enough, actually carrying it out was more difficult, resources, meaning Order members, were limited.

"These ones are fighting hard, Lils, harder than the last place," he whispered softly, trying to move his lips as little as possible.

Lily scowled; they needed to get out of there. Granted, it wasn't Sirius' fault, but she was still annoyed nonetheless. It had been nearly two hours and they had reached no more than two areas. Saving little Caroline, who had been so very clever and brave, had induced a new vigor upon Lily. She needed to go and save more little girls, and soon.

"_We need to go_," she urged.

"I know…something's wrong. Dumbledore said they weren't going to try all that hard," he displayed a look of confusion.

"Maybe he was wrong," Lily supplied quickly, trying to hurry things along.

"No, something's off Lily, just watch them," he spoke, throwing a lazy jinx at the man several feet in front of him.

Lily agreed to do so grudgingly and tried to clear her mind of all the thoughts of leaving. She focused her line of vision onto the man in front of Sirius. Though he was wearing one of those frightening silver masks, Lily could still see the whites of his eyes. He appeared bored, yet he was throwing jinxes that Lily had never seen before. They didn't appear to be deadly, but were definitely meant to harm.

There was something in his movements that bothered her. There was something in all of their movements. The man battling Hestia was fighting hard; yet steady, not putting too much motion into his movements. The ones battling the Prewitt's appeared the same way. It wasn't normal.

"You're right," she muttered softly, her mind going into hyper drive.

"Figure it out, Lily, you can do it," he urged. Lily began a complicated thought process, trying desperately to figure it out. As she did so the death eater he was dueling spoke the first words Sirius had heard all night.

"Talking to yourself, Black?" he drawled, flicking his wand and sending an unknown electric blue curse at him. Sirius defended it easily. It was like a game, neither knew when the other would actually try to fight back. "I always knew you were as crazy as your brother."

"My brother?" Sirius demanded. "What do you know about my brother?"

"Ah, little Reggie, always was trying to get on the Dark Lord's good side. I thought he was halfway decent until a few weeks ago, kid's gone crazy," the man spoke, as if it were nothing.

"Stop playing games Rudolphus, and yes, I _can _recognize you. How's Bella?"

"She's fine, probably killing the rest of your little _posse_ this very moment. What do you guys call yourselves again?"

"You shut your mouth and tell me about my brother,"

"Or what?"

"So you're pulling that cared are you? _Tell me_," Sirius demanded, seething, seeing black spots before his eyes.

"Wouldn't you like to know? First he starts talking to himself, avoiding the lot of us only to come back completely sunny. Who knows what happened up in that deranged mind of his? The Black _have_ had a notorious history of being quite loony, your mother was a testament of that, wasn't she?"

"You're rambling, Lestrange," Sirius said, narrowing his eyes as he shot another curse. Rudolphus wasn't one for small talk. He looked behind him to see no one. Lily must still be under the cloak, thinking.

Indeed she was thinking as well, deeply. What were they doing? Were they just a lazy group of well-trained death eaters or did they have some kind of ulterior move? She needed to think yet her thoughts were over crowding each other, overlapping awkwardly. Lily froze all of her movements for a moment and cleared her head, closing her eyes softly and breathing in deeply.

At least ten small groups of death eaters spread across the country, all going after muggleborns. They were supposed to be easy, unfocused. Dumbledore told the Order to get in and get out. The death eaters weren't letting them do that.

The pieces of the puzzles slowly began to connect themselves bit by bit. Everything clicked and Lily knew that they needed to get out of there as soon as possible. She ripped the invisibility cloak off and stuffed it into her pocket, it was the time to try and stay hidden.

A flicker of fear ignited in her stomach before igniting to a full flame, burning her thoughts up. The night suddenly seemed darker and the moon giving less light. Everything was going to crash. She cursed herself for not realizing what was happening earlier.

"GET TO THE APPARATION POINT!" she yelled, all heads turned to her and she whished she could tell whether or not the death eaters were surprised to see her. "THEY'RE STALLING!"

Those words were the only thing needed the present Order members needed to comprehend what was happening, the pieces clicked together in their own minds. While they were there fighting the strange acting death eaters, who knew what was going on somewhere else. They were trying to hold them there.

In and instant the group of Order members was running, sprinting across the street as fast as they constantly could with the death eaters actually trying to hurt them. Sirius could hear Rudolphus letting out a string of curses as he dashed after them. Apparently they weren't supposed to be smart enough to figure it out.

Sirius caught up to Lily who had begun running as soon as she said the words and gave her the smallest push, just to inform her they needed to run faster if they were ever going to be able to get inside the house they could apparate from before the death eaters caught up with them. Their feet pounded harshly against the asphalt, discordant and out of place. It was a cruel sound really.

Lily then remembered that there were others. The other Order members were at dead ends as well, not knowing what was happening somewhere else. She had to warn them. She raised her wand and thought of all the people she loved so very much, all the people that loved her as well. She focused on how she felt when she was with them, the warmth their presence gave her.

"_Expecto Patronum_," she whispered softly, pushing ever once of feeling she had into the spell.

Suddenly, a glowing doe rose up out of her wand. It was beautiful. It dashed at her side as they were running and Lily could tell the others were surprised. She spun her wand, just as Dumbledore had told them, and rose the tip to her throat.

"It's a distraction," she spoke clearly. "The real battle's happening in the biggest section, they're distracting you."

She then pictured all of the Order members, all of their smiling faces. She imagined each one of them individually, all besides the ones in James' section. Lily watched as the gentle doe left her side, running off into the unknown before disappearing. She had done it. Lily had done the spell without a second thought. She couldn't help but let a large smile come to her face.

"I did it," she muttered to Sirius in an almost daze, he smiled as they continued to run. She was snapped out of her stupor as a red spell, one she was incredibly familiar with, whizzed past her ear, ruffling her hair.

"Almost there, Sunshine," Sirius urged, moving quickly so she'd be encouraged to keep pace with him.

"They'd be where James was, he was given the biggest area," she spoke, still going strong. Her intense auror training was paying off well in the physical aspect. "I bet half the places Dumbledore sent the Order are completely safe,"

"What do you think they want?" Sirius asked. The street was longer than he had remembered.

"No more talking Sirius, we need to run faster," she said throwing a spell over her shoulder. She heard Hestia, Caradoc, and the Prewitts doing the same.

She pushed herself harder, feeling the burn of exercise spreading into her calves. She saw the house right before them and turned sharply onto the path that led to the doorway, they had to be inside of the house to apparate. Just before she went through the doorway she shouted their destination over her shoulder.

"To James' section! It's happening there!" she spoke loudly. "James' section," she repeated, just to be sure they heard. Her red hair whipped around as she turned back to face forward and nearly flung herself inside the house with Sirius hot on her trail.

As soon as they were the two stopped running and caught their breath. The house was protected heavily; Lily had set it up as the battle started. The death eaters couldn't get in, she made sure of it. Once the six of them were inside successfully the death eaters apparated without a second thought. It was them who had put a block on the apparation. Anyone could apparate in, it was getting out that only the death eaters could do. Thanks to preparations however, Lily and Hestia had set up the spot inside the house when they first arrived. Granted, it had been extremely difficult, but in the end they were able to succeed.

"Is everyone okay?" Lily asked, looking at everyone briefly.

"_Brilliant_," Fabian spoke, yelping as he tried to stich up a tear in his arm while his hand was shaking.

"Let me do it, Fabian," Hestia spoke with a roll of her eyes.

"Think you can go on, mate?" Sirius asked, poking at a rather sore spot on his cheek. Lily swatted his hand away and gave him a motherly look.

"Of course I can go on," Fabian answered. "A little scratch won't do me in,"

"Way to be a man," Gideon spoke patting him on the back after having walked around a bit, stretching out his tired legs.

"What next?" Caradoc asked, raking a hand nervously through his hair. The man was known to have quite the temper and Lily could tell he was trying to control himself best he could. "What do we do and how do we do it?"

"We apparate there and kick some death eater butt!" Sirius exclaimed as if it were the simplest thing to understand in the world.

"No, no, no, we can't rush into this, Black," Caradoc spoke angrily. Sirius scowled deeply.

"_Don't call me that_," he seethed.

"We should assign sections, each take a part, who know where it's happening," Caradoc said, ignoring Sirius.

"Lily already told us where it was,"

"We don't know though, we have to figure it out before we do anything foolish,"

"Foolish? Then where do you think they are, Dearborn? Have any better ideas?" Sirius asked coldly, the man was beginning to get on his nerves.

"Calm down," Lily butted in, "we all need to take a deep breath and think for a moment."

"Lily's right," Hestia agreed. "Just look at our options. Every second we're here is another second our friends could be getting killed there, we don't have to time to bicker."

"Well I say we follow Lily's plan," Gideon started. "It's logical, it sounds right so it's the first place we should go."

"Agreed," Fabian spoke simply, rubbing at his stitched up arm.

"Then it's a plan," Lily confirmed. She knew they had no idea what they were walking into so she could do nothing more than hope for the best.

##########

"Something's wrong, Marlene," James had spoke the very moment he and Marlene had arrived in their section.

The street they arrived on was completely silent. The group, made up of James, Marlene, Dorcas Meadowes, Benjy Fenwick, and Sturgis Podmore, all more than a bit confused at the serene scene before them.

"We're in the right place aren't we?" Benjy asked looking around intently. "Fancy rich people houses with manicured lawns…just like Dumbledore described it. I'm missing any sign of snooty wealthy people, however."

Marlene rolled her eyes at the comment good-naturedly and James wacked him on the arm.

"I happen to be one of those 'snooty wealthy people', Benjy. I grew up here after all."

"So we are in the right place," Benjy asked again for confirmation.

"This is definitely it," Marlene replied.

"Where is everyone?" Dorcas wonder aloud.

"Likely sleeping, it's late after all," Sturgis, responded.

While James didn't know the man all that well, he appeared to be friendly enough. He had a square jaw with thick straw-colored hair and thought his eyes were pale; they still showed how much he was willing to do for the Order. Yes, Sturgis wasn't the most brilliant wizard, but he was someone James was content having on the team. He had thought they'd need all the help they could get, but he wasn't so sure anymore.

"The death eaters though, they should be here," James noted.

"They should _definitely_ be here, this is the biggest section!" Marlene exclaimed. The group fell into a comfortable silence as they began to walk down the street, looking for anything abnormal.

"They're not here," Dorcas finally said, stating the very thing they were all worried about.

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, a deafening number of 'CRACK's filled the chilled nighttime air. Dozens of death eaters in their long billowy cloaks stood before them, more and more appearing by the second. Their silver masks were shiny and new, perhaps they didn't understand just how many new recruits Voldemort had been getting while he was biding his time.

"Just our luck," James mused aloud.

It was like a scene from a cheesy action movie. Just as the characters thought they were safe they were hit on full force by far more than they had expected. The figures in front of them were definitely intimidating and their numbers were large. It didn't take James very long to understand what was happening. He could only hope that Lily would figure out they were being toyed with.

##########

** Battle next chapter and Caroline should be showing up sometime in the next few chapters as well. I'm definitely excited for that one haha. I hope you enjoyed it :). Please review and tell me what you think.**

** -Sweets5236**


	31. St Mungo's

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

The woman looked over her patients with a worried eye and released a long coming sigh that she had been holding at her lips. The low sound came from bubbled up within her, a testament of the stress that was constantly placed upon her. Then again, she had chosen the job of healer herself, she was nearly asking for hard times. She knew what she had been getting into when she had told McGonagall, still the head of Gryffindor even in her years, that she wished for nothing more than to help heal people. Nevertheless, her job at St. Mungo's Hospital was taxing.

She had arrived very, _very_ early that morning, sometime around three, due to the fact that one of the patients who had been unconscious for some time had awoken and they were short on staff. The ward she worked in was small, a couple dozen beds pushed very tightly together. They were the over flow of sorts.

"Gale?" one of her coworkers, Laurie, asked. Her usually calm pale blue eyes held a worry that she had never seen before.

Gale hadn't been aware that Laurie had been working at all. Her long time friend usually took the afternoon shifts and was gone by eleven at the latest. That morning, however, it seemed she had been in the hospital through the night. Her dirty-blonde hair was knotted and ragged, probably caused by Laurie's nervous habit of scrunching it up. Her clothes were wrinkled as well, her scrubs nearly falling off her shoulders. Gale grimaced at her appearance and laid a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, removing it just as fast. She wasn't one for physical affection.

"What's the problem?" she finally asked wearily looking down at he clipboard in her hand that displayed the names of patients in her ward. A large number of them were to be going home that very morning.

"Something happened," Laurie spoke, her voice lowering to a whisper. "It's the _Order_,"

Gale froze her motions of flipping through the pages before her and glanced up. She had heard of the secret organization called the Order. It was rumored to be headed by Albus Dumbledore, a group of people who worked to defy Voldemort. She had no idea who was involved, but the group held a certain mystery around them and Gale couldn't help but be curious as to what Laurie was speaking of.

"What is it?" Gale asked, quieting down as well. The world was scary. Certain _people_ were scary. It was hard to know whom to trust.

"A battle in the wealthier part of Godric's Hallow. There've been battles everywhere really," she spoke with wide eyes.

"What do you mean _there've been battles everywhere_?"

"Breakouts across the country, something's happened Gale,"

"How do you know?"

"It's Hestia," she whispered, beginning to tear up.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. Why don't you sit down?" Gale said, her worry starting to show despite her trying to hide it. Laurie nodded tiredly and nearly collapsed into the first chair she saw. "You're tired, Laurie, calm down."

"You're right, you're right. You remember Hestia though, don't you?" Laurie asked hopefully.

Gale thought for a moment before the image of a little third year with blonde streaks through her brown hair and a toothy grin popped in her mind. Yes, she remembered. Little Hestia Jones was like a baby sister to Laurie; at least that's how it was when they were at school. Gale had been a…fourth year she thought, when Hestia first came to Hogwarts and got sorted into the very same house Gale was in, Gryffindor. The girl had always been fonder of the Ravenclaws, however. It was Ravenclaw house that Laurie had been in.

"You two still talk?" Gale confirmed, taking a seat on the cold floor that, for some reason, seemed more comforting than a chair.

"Of course, she's some of the only _family_ I have left. Sad, huh? She's not even related to me!"

"What does Hestia have to do with this?"

"She's part of the Order," Laurie murmured, softer than ever. "She's always been so brave, so I wasn't surprised when she told me. She's bound to a lot of promises though so it was barely anything."

"She told you something was happening tonight?" Gale asked.

"More or less. She looked so _scared_. She said she was going out, hand her wand clutched so hard. I went to Hogwarts and the staff was in shambles, all worried sick though no one would tell me why. I figured it out soon enough though. Battles! They're _all over_,"

"Well what do you expect me to do about it?" Gale breathed, slightly annoyed. The one thing she didn't need was more stress and Laurie's news did nothing to soothe her frazzled nerves.

"You don't think there weren't injuries?" Laurie asked, almost as if she were questioning Gale's sanity.

"If this is the Order than they'll take care of everything at Hogwarts, Laurie. It's not _safe_ here. There are too many people with big mouths, they'll realize that," Gale assured her friend. Laurie was always a worrier.

"I don't think they'll have room at Hogwarts," Laurie replied shaking her head.

Gale frowned. It wasn't seconds later that the doors to the elevator dinged and the largest number of people she had seen in the room rushed out. She was shocked to see that a large number of them were carrying the bodies of those injured. Laurie was right.

Gale instantly got to her feet, Laurie in synch with her as they rushed to the people streaming into the ward. It was going to be a long night.

##########

If one were to look down onto the twelfth floor of St. Mungo's Hospital they'd see nothing short of chaos. The problem was that there were only two nurses in the room, the rest of those working in the ward seemed to have disappeared. Their dark brown and dirty blonde heads were seen bobbing and weaving between those in the crowd.

Thankfully, they seemed experienced and the majority of people were settled. Those injured on the blindingly white sheets of the bed and those well enough to do so sat around on chairs at the sides of those they cared for. A soft hush filled the room and worried shouts became quiet words of comfort. That silence was only broken by the elevator dinging open once more and two young adults, one with deep red locks and the other with shaggy black hair, rushed in with a woman in their arms.

##########

**Hours Earlier**

When Lily arrived on the scene of the battle it was achingly familiar and she was sad to say so. The spells she saw being shot were the same along with the frustrated, sometimes painful, screams and shouts accompanying them. She had to close her eyes lightly for a moment, pushing all the flash backs away from her mind. It seemed that in her darkest moments she was prone to remembering other times she had struggled.

The first thing she did was assess the area. The houses were lavish and well groomed, put the streets were alight with flashes. A good two to three dozen death eaters lined the streets, the limited amount of Order members fighting them off best they could. The Order seemed to be faring well and a surge of hope ran through her.

"What're you standing around for, Potter?" the voice of Fabian sounded behind her. It took Lily a moment to realize that he was talking to her. She turned to face him and saw an almost excited look on his face. "The battle's just begun," he spoke before rushing off into the crowd. She sighed before dashing off after him.

##########

Marlene was getting worn, this she knew. She also knew that if she didn't keep fighting then those around her would fall as well. One false move and it would be like dominoes. Once false move for _any of them_. She had lost track of the minutes they had spent fighting hours ago, the death eaters weren't letting up.

While Marlene knew that the death eaters had been distracting the other members of the Order before, it seemed like they were distracting all of them then though there was no other battles going on anywhere else, she had sent people to make sure. Nevertheless, Voldemort's followers weren't going to give up anytime soon. Something was off yet there was no time to think about it. All she could do was keep running and dodging, throwing nifty curses over her shoulder that Lily had taught her.

_Lily_. Marlene realized. Lily was good at charms. Lily could help her. Surely there was some spell that could renew her energy to keep her going. The only problem was that Marlene had no idea where her best friend was. She had no idea where any of her friends were actually. She had lost James in the crowd sometime back and was sure she had seen Remus at one point, but no other sign of them was to be seen.

Marley continued to weave through the crowd, looking for familiar faces. It seemed as if she would find none. She didn't give up hope though and continued to shoot spells at those cloaked in black with the shiny silver masks and aid those who had become injured at their hands. Her movements became slower and slower, yet she continued because there was nothing else she could do.

At one point she accidently backed into a man and nearly blasted his face off only to spin around and find the ever so familiar face of Sirius beaming down at her.

"Marlene!" he had exclaimed. "Fancy seeing you here!" She ignored his words and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and squeezing him tight.

"Sirius!" she mumbled enthusiastically into his shirt. She pulled back quickly, understanding that they couldn't stay motionless in one place to long.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. She was unnaturally pale and he suddenly thought he remembered her saying something about feeling under the weather earlier that day.

"Exhausted," she said rolling her eyes at some silly jelly-legs jinx that was sent at her and missed horribly. She nailed the woman with a stunner. "I need to find Lily. Have you seen her?"

"Not for ages," he said shaking his head worriedly. "We got here together but I lost her quick, she wanted to find James,"

"James," Marlene repeated the name frowning. "I haven't seen him in a while either."

"Don't worry too much," Sirius spoke shrugging. He winced as one of the spells he shot went horribly off target and bounced off a tree.

"I don't know how much longer I can last," she breathed. Her stomach was beginning to churn horribly. It was not a pleasant feeling.

"Hang in there," Sirius supplied, not paying much attention to his girlfriend's words.

"No, really, Sirius I…"

Her voice was stopped, causing him to turn. The sight he was met with caused fear to ring through his bones. She was unconscious on the ground, a thin trail of blood leaking out of the back of her head. An obviously proud death eater stood feet away, wand pointed in the place she had just been standing.

Sirius, then filled with rage, pointed his wand at the death eater who had struck Marlene only to freeze. The sky was turning a chilling green, clouds rushed together, and lightening crackled. A picture slowly began forming within the expanse above. A large skull swirled into form and they all stood, entranced, as a snake slithered from it's mouth. At the sight of the mark in the sky, the death eaters were gone in seconds. All of them.

Sirius was left to collapse to his knees, tears streaking down his face, to make sure the love of his life was still breathing.

##########

Lily moved through the throng of remaining Order members quickly with purpose. She needed to find her friends, make sure they were okay. The battle may have been over, but the terror was not. She heard those she recognized whispering in hushed voices around her and saw others rushing the injured to an apparation point. She was surprised to see people she did not recognize as well. Civilians must have joined the fight and she couldn't help but feeling proud.

"James?" She called loudly. Several heads turned, but none paid close attention. "James? JAMES POTTER WHERE ARE YOU?" she screeched into the night, her footsteps becoming more and more hurried. She didn't understand how the battle could have stretched across such a large amount of ground.

"Lily?" she heard. She turned her head wildly, looking out the source of whoever called her name. Her eyes finally found Sirius, crouched on the ground next to a body. Her stomach clenched and she had to swallow to resist releasing the contents of her stomach in a nearby bush.

She rushed towards him and kneeled at his side, taking in the sight of Marlene, the body next to him, calculatingly. She was breathing, but it was labored. Her head was bleeding and she would have a concussion. Marlene needed a doctor.

"What happened?" she asked frantically.

"Death eaters, that's what happened. What was this in the sky?" Sirius asked, stroking Marlene's hair back.

"It was the dark mark, didn't you recognize it?" she asked him. He paused for a moment before realization shown on his face.

"It was, wasn't it,"

"That was very dark magic, Sirius," she said shaking her head wearily. "I could feel it, that spell, whatever it was that got that mark in the sky, wasn't right. We shouldn't focus on that now though, we have to get Marley to Hogwarts,"

"We can't go to Hogwarts, Lily, there are already too many people there."

"What do you mean?"

"It was the first place everyone apparated too, they're saying to go to St. Mungo's now,"

"St. Mungo's?" Lily breathed, her brow furrowing with worry.

"There's no where else, Lils!" Sirius nearly yelled.

"Clam down, Sirius, we'll get her there, I just didn't think it was safe,"

"There's a ward that will keep our secrets apparently, hush the whole thing up," Sirius said.

"Well lets take her now, she's going to be in a lot of pain, Sirius," Lily spoke, scanning over Marlene's injuries once more. Her shoulder was dislocated and there was something wrong with her leg, it was swelling horribly.

"And James?" he asked.

"We'll find him, it's over now and I haven't heard of _one_ casualty! That has to mean something,"

"But who knows where he is! We have to look for him!" Sirius shouted, hands waving around wildly. He stopped when Lily placed her own hands forcefully on his shoulders.

"We have to get Marlene to the hospital, Sirius," she said searching his eyes for understanding. A flash suddenly signaled within them and she knew he finally understood.

"Okay…okay, we get Marley to the hospital and then what? We sit around and wait for everyone to show up?"

"I honestly don't know," she sighed. "This fight wasn't normal, it almost seemed…. docile."

"Docile? Look at her!" he said motioning to Marlene.

"Well compared to other battles! _We need to go now_,"

He looked at her worryingly before finally agreeing. He knew Marlene would be okay, but she was hurt bad, she needed help. He scooped her up and his arms and the two began walking down the street. Each more confused with every step they took.

##########

** I know that you guys are probably as confused as the characters are, I was a bit vague in this chapter, but it should all make sense in the next! These last two chapters seemed to have no reason behind them, but trust me, it's all important haha. Please review and tell me what you think! Any guesses on what's going to happen next? Thanks so much and sorry for bad grammar!**

**-Sweets5236**


	32. Story Time

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

Franticly searching eyes and shaky hands. An erratically beating heart and unsteady breaths. It was panic, pure torture and fear. The whole lot of James' training could never have prepared him for what he was constantly going through. They had been taught to control their feelings under stress and worry, yet when it came to Lily, all sense was thrown out the window. What was to be expected of him though when she was constantly getting herself in trouble? Then again, he had always found his way into trouble of his own. That didn't make him any less worried though.

His hazel eyes scanned the Hospital Wing again. The room wasn't very large so there was hardly anyway he'd miss her what with her vibrant hair and equally fiery attitude. Sometimes James was sure he could _feel_ her presence in the room. It was bold and bright, yet logical and thoughtful. That feeling wasn't with him though, and that was exactly what scared him so bad.

The majority of the room was filled with Order members and those who had jumped in the fight to help. None were dead. Not one witch or wizard was killed during the battle, yet nearly all of them were injured. Didn't that have to mean something? Surely it was not a coincidence, yet James didn't have the capacity to truly think about it in that moment. His brain was frazzled, a mixed mess of emotions that were jumping around far too quickly for his liking.

"Professor McGonagall!" he called out to his previous Transfiguration teacher who was bustling around the room in an all-together motherly fashion. Her usual tight bun was coming undone, just enough for him to notice. The lines on her face seemed deeper and perhaps he saw a few more grey hairs. She paused at the sound of her name before looking up expectantly.

"Yes Potter?" she asked wearily. She was tired, exhausted. It was well into the early hours of the morning and James realized that the adrenaline still pumping through him was the only thing keeping him from crashing.

"You haven't seen Lily, have you?" he asked, hoping desperately for the answer. He needed to find her, hold her close and breathe in the strawberry shampoo she always used.

"I'm sorry, Potter," McGonagall, sighed, "Hasn't any one told you that there are…" she paused when her name was once again called out, this time by someone across the room. "I'm sure you'll find her boy, don't worry yourself too much," she spoke before hurrying over.

He wondered briefly what she had been planning on saying, but figured it mustn't have been all that important if she had left without finishing. James then decided to look for Dumbledore as well; the man had been missing all night and if anyone were to have decent answers it would be him. Just as he was about to leave the room and wander the halls of Hogwarts, the voice of a small child drifted into his ears, causing his head to turn quickly in the direction it was coming from.

"Her eyes were green and sparkly and she had the most prettiest red hair ever! She _saved_ me," the girl was speaking matter-of-factly. Her face was beaming, yet she appeared as tired as the rest of them in her rumpled pajamas.

James walked closer discreetly, not wanting to draw attention to himself. In the corner of the room were a large number of children, a dozen or so, all sitting cross-legged on the floor together. Some, who obviously knew each other, were huddled close for comfort. Their ages ranged from three to ten, but James saw one older looking boy, maybe eight or nine, clutching tightly to an infant that looked no older than a few months old. Their attention was directed to a short little girl with the classic blonde ringlets and clear blue eyes.

"She told me she worked for a _secret club_," the little girl said dramatically. Her hands were tapping on the floor, perhaps a habit she had picked up from her parents. A boy to her side wearing green striped pajamas spoke up then as well.

"She saved _me_ too, Caroline!" he spoke excitedly.

"She told me she would," she said nodding her head enthusiastically, "She told me she'd save all of my friends, and she did!" The girl, Caroline, looped her arm through the boy's and grinned at him brightly. Her legs were stretched out in front of her and her toes were wiggling in her furry pink slippers.

James took this moment to finally step forward. The girl seemed confident, and whom else would it be but Lily who saved her? All the little heads turned in his direction once he got close enough. Some appeared scared, but others were looking with nothing but curiosity. He kneeled down besides the children, realizing how good it felt to no longer stand. He closed his eyes in bliss for a moment before opening them again and looking right at Caroline.

"Hello," he spoke with a charming smile. She giggled and he smiled even wider, a bit more genuinely this time. She was quite adorable, he decided, just the kind of little girl Lily would dote on.

"Hello, who are you?" she asked.

"My name is James."

"James? I'm _Caroline_," she spoke boldly, straightening her back.

"Well Caroline, tell me more about the woman who saved you," he said sitting down fully and crossing his legs like the rest of the children. The little girl in front of him with brown braids scooted out so he could join their circle. He grinned, feeling strangely happy to have been accepted by the children. Surely Sirius would laugh seeming him in such a position.

"I'll start at the beginning then," she said with a nod.

"Go ahead," he prompted, hazel eyes sparkling. His nerves calmed and he was quite convinced Lily would show up eventually. He didn't know why he had been so worried. He was being quite moody.

"My mom was reading a story, you know, she said she'd save my mommy too, that's probably where she is _now_," Caroline said firmly.

"Do you think she'll save my mommy too?" A girl of four or five asked.

"Of course. Now hush so I can finish my story. My mommy was reading to me when there was a big BANG!" all the kids jumped at Caroline's raised voice and exaggerated hand motions. James chuckled. "What happened was that the _bad guys _came!"

"They came to my house too!" a boy sitting on James' left said, eyes wide.

"I'm sure, Peter," Caroline, said shaking her head quickly, eyes just as big. "They were _everywhere_, I saw them!"

"Really?" Peter asked in disbelief.

"Really truly, they were big and scary with these strange silver masks. My dress ups are _way_ prettier. Lots of frilly pinks, theirs were black and droopy, not very beautiful _at all_."

"I have pink dress ups too," the girl with braids on the other side of James put in.

"I have _lots of them_, some are even purple and blue, those are my _next_ favorites," Caroline laughed. "We should play with them together, but now I gots to tell the story,"

"Yeah!" Peter exclaimed. "Keep going, Caroline."

"Okay, okay. Now after the bang I went and hid underneath my bed, nice and safe. It was scary though, lots of shouts and screams and flashes of light. Some of the light was pretty, but it was still scary because I'm pretty sure they would _hurt_. Next I made sure there were no holes for the bad guys to peak through and seem me, 'cuz that would be _bad_."

"I hid in the bathroom, I was brushin' my teeth and locked the door when I heard the bangs, there _were_ scary," a new voice spoke up. It came from the mouth of a girl with wavy hair that fell into her eyes.

"Yep," Caroline agreed. "After I hid a while, I heard some footsteps, but I made sure to be quiet. Pretty soon _Lily_ came and saved me."

"Lily?" James asked for confirmation. It was just the name he had been waiting to hear.

"Yes, Lily Potter. She was _very_ pretty with long _red_ hair and _very_ green eyes. I just wish I could have hair like hers, it make her _unique_. That's a word my mommy taught me, it means special,"

"Do you know what, Caroline?" James asked; liking the little girl more and more with every word she spoke.

"What?"

"Lily's my _wife_. I'm James _Potter_."

"Really?" She asked, sitting up a little straighter. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely positive,"

"_Prove it_,"

"Prove it?" he asked laughing. "Well okay then. Lily Potter has red hair and sparkly green eyes just like you said. She's smart and very good with little girls just like you. She smiles a lot and is always trying to make others smile with her. Does that sound familiar?" she nodded excitedly with him.

"It _is_ you then! She told me about you, said you were really brave and saving people just like she was,"

"I was out saving people, but now everyone's safe."

"My mommy and daddy?" she asked hopefully. James tried his best not to frown, but thought up an answer quickly.

"You know what Caroline? I'm not sure. I'll go ask someone and be back in _five minutes_. Okay?" he asked standing and stretching a bit.

"Okay," she nodded. "Be back real soon,"

He heard shouts of "Bye, James!" as he strode away and grinned widely. He rarely got to see young children growing up, being an only child himself and meeting no younger than eleven year olds at Hogwarts, but he found he enjoyed them quite well. His eyes sought out McGonagall and luckily found her in a spot of rest.

"Professor," he called as he walked towards her. She looked up and smiled wearily.

"Hello Potter. Sorry for running off on you earlier. I was saying that there are many at St. Mungo's, there simply isn't enough room here. If Lily isn't here than surely she's there. I wouldn't be surprised if she showed up here quite soon."

"That's great professor," he breathed in relief. Even more of his worries disappeared before he asked her his next question. "I was wondering though, the parent's of all the children, where are they?"

"That's just the thing Mr. Potter, they showed up on Hogwart's doorsteps mere minutes ago!"

"What?" he asked, quite confused.

"Not long before now they all appeared at the front gates, each with a death eater on their arm. Those fiends were gone in seconds. Not a person is missing. They're speaking with Albus at the moment."

"Why? What's going on here? This isn't normal!" he spoke angrily. Everything was beginning to hit him; the bizarreness of the situation and everything that it entitled that is. His night of little sleep was beginning to catch up to him as well. He didn't know how much longer he'd be able to stay standing.

"Not at all, but I believe that nobody but Albus himself will ever understand what had happened tonight," McGonagall answered placing a hand over eyes, a universal sign of distress.

"Why?"

"He finds the best option to be keeping things to himself. I am of course quite curious, but he has his reasons."

"He does know what happened though, doesn't he?"

"I believe he has a solid…idea. What that idea is I don't know," she spoke shaking her head slowly.

"Thank you for telling me, Professor," he said with a slow nod. He pivoted on his heel and walked back towards the children.

James approached them slowly, but stopped in his place when he saw two new figures sitting with them. One had Caroline sitting upon her lap and the other was leaning up against the wall behind them. Their faces were enough to make James feel the smallest prickles against his eyes.

"Lily," he breathed, trying to keep his breath steady.

She looked up from talking to the children and her face lit up at the sight of James. She wrapped her arms around Caroline's waist and placed her back on the floor before standing. He strode forward quickly and in seconds she was wrapped tightly in his arms. Her small frame fit just as perfectly in his arms as it always had and he couldn't help but feel like everything was going to work out just great no matter what had happened the night before.

##########

** I found myself really enjoying this chapter, Caroline is officially one of my favorites ever :). What do you guys think? Next chapter will be in the same setting and a bit more explaining/cluing in will be done. Can any of you guys why all the battles broke out and what Dumbledore wasn't telling them? I'll give you a hint, this is the end of the year 1879, why would Voldemort need a distraction then? Please review!**

**-Sweets5236**


	33. Blonde Curls

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

"_You're okay_," she breathed into James's chest, arms wrapped tightly around his waist. She was nearly scared he'd disappear. He smelt different, more like smoke than the hot chocolate scent she was used to. The fact saddened her a bit, but the feeling was dashed mere seconds later. She was just too happy for sadness.

"I knew you'd figure it out," he whispered into her hair. "I don't know what we would have done if more people hadn't shown up."

"Are you hurt?" she asked, lifting her head up to look at him worryingly. She saw him run his hand across a cut along his cheek she hadn't noticed. His hazel eyes were still glowing despite his pale face covered in ash, hair sticking up in every direction, and glasses askew. She reached up and straightened them for him, smiling as she did so.

"I'll be fine, it's just a scratch," he said with a shrug. He looked over Lily to see Sirius grinning widely. He stepped back from his wife to go and embrace his best friend and pat him on the back.

Sirius had fought hard; anyone would have been able to tell. His movements were doing almost regrettably as if they hurt him and his responses were slow and lifeless. His eyes held relief though, nearly overpowering his fatigue.

"Sirius?" James questioned, pulling back.

"All is well…Marlene though, she's at Mungo's. Should wake up soon."

"Relatively soon," Lily corrected, quoting what the doctor had said. Marlene would be fine. Lily stepped up and James wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side. He took note in the smallest of holes in her now tarnished blouse. He stuck his finger through and trickled her ribcage playfully, laughing when she squirmed.

"She's okay?" James asked Sirius, knowing that, in reality, Sirius would be in shambles if she wasn't

"Beat up, but fine," Sirius breathed. The night was catching up with him and his eyes drooped a bit more with each time he blinked.

"That's good," James spoke, equally exhausted. He looked back over his shoulder to see little Caroline rocking on her heels expectantly next to her yawning group of friends. He smiled at her and she beamed right on back.

"Caroline told me you saved her," he acknowledged, turning once again to face Lily.

"She's a brave little girl, sure to be a Gryffindor," Lily declared proudly. She grabbed hold of James' hand and dragged him over to the giggling girl.

Lily looked over Caroline and noted that she looked pleased, content and happy. Her blonde curls were as vibrant and bouncy as ever and her blue eyes just as sparkly as she remembered. Even her furry pink slippers looked exactly the same. Then again, it hadn't been that long since she'd seen Caroline, Lily realized. It seemed like ages though. All those spells and shouts and screams, her wrist was actually beginning to hurt. Lily had never had that happen before.

A part of her auror training kicked in and she panicked, realizing she wouldn't be able to fight any longer if the need arose. She was far to worn to do anything but move as little as possible at that moment. The fear left her soon though once she realized that they were in Hogwarts. They were safe there and all would be well. She turned back to Caroline.

"So you met James?" she asked. Caroline nodded her head enthusiastically, hair bouncing.

"_And_ Sirius," she cooed, looking up at the shaggy haired man.

"Awwww, she's smitten Pads," James teased.

Sirius pulled a face and Lily had to stifle her laughter. Caroline had been hanging all over Sirius since the minute he arrived. She thought he was _so_ handsome. Lily could tell that it made him fidget; he didn't exactly know how to handle a little girl who had a crush on him. She told him to let her down easy, but every time she flashed that charming grin at him he'd pull one of those faces. He really didn't have the heart to break it to her that he had a girlfriend waiting for him back at St. Mungo's.

"Caroline," James began, remembering the words that Professor McGonagall told him. "You're mommy and daddy are okay," he said crouching down. Her face brightened and he hadn't even thought that was possible.

"Really!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, really," he grinned.

"What 'bout mine?" little Peter asked.

"They're all okay, they're just talking to Mr. Dumbledore right now," he assured all the kids. Relief washed over all of the little faces before him. The children embraced, instantly pleased. Lily turned to him, looking confused.

"All of them?" she asked him.

"They were dropped off by the gates a while ago. _All of them_,"

"Don't you think that's a little fishy, mate?" Sirius asked crossing his arms. He spoke softly so that the children wouldn't notice.

"None killed and all captives returned? Definitely. There's not much we can do about it until Dumbledore comes down though."

"Have you seen him? Since the meeting?" Lily asked. James shook his head. He had not.

The group turned to the doors of the Hospital Wing when they swung open, all hoping for Dumbledore's familiar face. It was, however, Frank, Alice, and Remus instead all looking worse for wear, but well. Lily let out the breath she had been holding in and ran to wrap Alice up in a large bear hug.

"When did you get here?" she questioned, squeezing her friend tight. She brushed a few pieces of rumble off of Alice's navy shirt.

"We were here earlier, but got sent back to make sure everyone was either here or at Mungo's," Alice said with a yawn before pulling back. Lily moved forward to hug Frank and Remus as well, being sure to give Remus and extra squeeze seeing as he appeared to be extra exhausted.

"Where's Marlene?" Alice asked after glancing around the room.

"Mungo's, she's okay. I was actually going to head back now. I just had to find James," Lily gestured to her husband who was still talking to the children.

"Well I'm glad all is well," Frank sighed. "Does anyone know why all of this happened?"

"If anyone would it'd be Dumbledore, but no one's seen him yet," Sirius said walking up to greet them. He gave everyone quick hugs as well, glad that they were all safe.

"Do you guys want to go to St. Mungo's with me?" Lily asked. Frank and Alice nodded eagerly.

"I think I might stick here, Lily. I'll be sure to visit her later though. Be sure to tell her I'm glad she's okay if she wakes though," Remus said wobbling a bit. Sirius gripped his friend's upper arm to steady him.

"Okay there?" he asked nervously.

"Just a bit light-headed is all. Perhaps I should sit down," Remus spoke, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I'll stay back with Moony, Sunshine, you three go ahead," Sirius told them.

"I hope you feel better Remus," Lily commented. He nodded in acknowledgement before moving to sit down. The three left once Lily informed James where they were going, the door shutting with the briefest of sounds behind them.

"Why don't you go lie down, Moony?" Sirius informed his friend, gesturing to one of the last empty beds in the room. Remus' as lit up at the mere thought of being able to rest. The full moon had been not to long ago and he hadn't quite recovered.

"Thanks, mate," Remus responded, patting Sirius on the back as he moved to lay on the small hospital bed with its starkly white sheets.

Sirius walked up to James, grinning at how good he appeared to be with all the kids. He seemed to be telling them of their Marauding days at Hogwarts. From the snippets that he heard James was telling the kids of the many prank wars that had ensued including colored goo and fluorescent lighting. He leaned over to James who paused the story briefly.

"I think I'm just going to go for a walk, Prongs," he let him know. James nodded, gripping Sirius' shoulder. He pulled a very old hand mirror out of his pocket.

"I'll let you know when Dumbledore comes," James assured. Sirius nodded before leaving the room, planning to stroll the halls and clear his mind.

##########

Lily, Alice, and Frank walked into St. Mungo's hopefully, wishing to see their friend well and awake. People crowded the hallways and Lily finally understood the sheer number of individuals who had gotten injured just that night alone. From what she knew Order members and those who had assisted them were being kept on a special floor for discreetness. It was hard to be discreet though when there were so many family members wishing to see their loved ones.

The group made the trek up the stairs, not wanting to have to wait for the elevator. It took time seeing as the majority of people where on the twelfth floor. They made the journey silently, winching with every step and the ache it sent through their bones. They trooped forward thought seeing as there wasn't anything else they could really do.

When they finally made it to the top of the long stoned staircase they all paused, still not saying a word. Lily gripped the railing that was to her side, feeling weak and pathetic. She obviously needed to run a few more laps every week. Yes, the battle was a hard one, but there would always be harder. It was that kind of thinking that kept her on her feet.

She turned to Frank an Alice and smiled (grimaced more like) before taking the initiative to lead the way to where Marlene was staying. The room was painfully white and caused Lily's tired eyes to burn. She could tell by the way that Alice and Frank were blinking that it bothered them as well. It didn't take her any more than a few seconds to scan the room and find where Marlene was. She was sitting up in her bed, banging her head back against the headboard. Lily grinned at her friend's actions.

"Marley?" she spoke, weaving her way through the room and around all the beds. "You okay there?"

"Oh! Lily! Thank goodness! I was sure I was going to _die _boredom. What would you tell Sirius? 'Oh, sorry bud, Marlene died because she was _left alone in a hospital_'. Some friends you are," she pouted, crossing her arms across her chest. She looked over Lily's shoulder and saw Alice and Frank. Her face instantly lit up and she motioned for them to come over.

"How are you, Marlene?" Alice laughed, moving forward to wrap her arms around Marlene.

"Considering I'm in a hospital bed…" she started but was interrupted by Lily whacking her arm. Marlene swatted at her hand. "Just kidding, Ali," she said. "I'm just fine, a few broken bones here and there, nothing that won't be fixed within a few days. I'm one of the less injured though so it might take a while."

"But you're comfortable? You don't need anything?" Frank asked with concerned eyes.

"I'm wonderful Frank, thank you for asking," she grinned. Frank had always been so nice, much nicer than any of the Marauders anyway.

"Sirius was by earlier," Lily explained. "He's back at Hogwarts now though, Remus was about to pass out on his feet."

"You'll have to just tell him he owes me then," Marlene replied with a smile.

"You know, he has a little admirer back there, you're going to have to get well real soon if you don't want her to steal him from you,"

"Little admirer?"

"Her name's Caroline, she can't be no more than _five_,"

"Oh really?" Marlene asked. "I'm sure she's no competition," she said haughtily with a giggle.

"I don't know, Marls, she has the cutest little blonde curls,"

"Blonde curls? Hmmmm, I might have to watch out," Marlene said laughing.

The rest laughed alongside her. Before long not one could keep their eyes open. When the nurses can in the room to check on the patients all four of them were passed out in various positions on Marlene's hospital bed. They had had a long night.

##########

As Sirius wandered the halls he fiddled absent-mindedly with a piece of parchment in his pocket. He glanced up at the walls, grinning and waving at the dozens of pictures that were hanging there. He was pleased to discover that some of them looked quite scared of him. A thrill of pride ran through him when he still realized his reputation preceded him though he had already left Hogwarts.

He finally pulled the parchment out of his pocket with a sigh. This sigh was a manifestation of how crazy he knew he must be going. He sat down against a wall, fidgeting a bit to get more comfortable against the hard brownish stone. Along with the paper he grabbed a pen, a handy muggle invention that Lily taught him how to use. He just had to remember not to push too hard or he'd make a hole in the paper.

He just sat for a moment, gathering his thoughts and debating heavily with himself. It was minutes later that he finally pushed the pen to the paper.

_Regulus,_

_ How are you?_

He jotted this down, grimacing at the words in front of him. How cheesy could he get? Besides what did you expect his little brother to say? 'Oh, I'm just fine, off killing mudbloods and all'. That'd be sure to blow over well. Sirius nearly chuckled at the sarcasm in his head, but silenced himself. He crossed the words out on the paper and continued on in a way he'd thought work a bit better.

_Regulus,_

_How are you?__ We haven't talked…in ages. Where are you? Where are you living, staying, hanging out? I want to see you._

Sirius paused, grimacing at his own words. He had written this letter over and over again millions of times, both in his head and on parchment. He still couldn't seem to get it right. He continued anyway though, determined to finish it for once.

_Regulus,_

_How are you?__ We haven't talked in…ages. Where are you? Where are you living, staying, hanging out? I want to see you. Mum and dad are dead, you must know that though. We always joked they'd kick the can sooner than later though, yeah? You remember James? He got married to Lily Evans of course; you saw how they were seventh year. I'm an auror now, so are they. There was a battle tonight…I can only hope you weren't one of the ones in the cloaks. I'm living in a flat with Remus and Peter now, you remember them as well? We should meet. How about the Leaky Cauldron this next Monday? I have work off. We need to talk._

_ -Sirius Black_

Sirius reread the note and sighed once again. It was pathetic. He nearly sounded like he was begging. What could he do though? There was no other way his brother would even consider showing up otherwise. With one more drawn out sigh Sirius folded the letter quite nicely and tucked it into his pocket, promising himself he'd send it out in the morning.

##########

** I'll admit, this chapter is just leading up to the next. Can anyone guess what was happening that night now? A lot of people guessed the prophecy and that will be coming up pretty soon, but not yet :). I'll give you a hint; it has to do with Regulus. Thanks for your support and please review and tell me what you think!**

** -Sweets5236**


	34. Errands

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

Lily's eyes fluttered open and as soon as consciousness was granted her stomach began to churn horribly. She winced before leaping off the white hospital bed she had fallen asleep on and dashed to the nearest bathroom. Her knees slammed painfully to the tiled floor in front of the toilet and soon she was retching horribly. A painful burning made manifest in her throat and she was sure her arms weren't supposed to be shaking that much.

Soon cool hands touched her neck, lifting her hair away from her face. The action was comforting, letting Lily know she was not alone. Gratitude swept through her, but it was short lived seeing as it was hard to focus when she was vomiting. It had been years since she had a cold, let alone a stomach bug. She couldn't help but wonder what it was that got her sick.

"It's okay, Lily, get it out," a voice whispered comfortingly, smoothing her hair from her brow. _Alice_.

After what seemed like hours Lily finally sat up, whipping her mouth on her sleeve, particularly disgusted with herself. Tears of pain and frustration dotted her cheeks and her whole body felt hot and uncomfortable. She fidgeted a bit; wrapping her arms around herself. Lily's bright eyes closed and she breathed in deeply, calming her frazzled nerves. She regulated her breathing before opening her green eyes again.

Lily looked over to Alice who was kneeling on the bathroom floor beside her. Her friend had a look of concern and worry and Lily was glad that she cared. Alice reached into her pocket and took out Lily's wand. Lily realized she must have dropped it on Marlene's hospital bed when she had rushed to the bathroom. It felt strange seeing it in someone else's hands. She hadn't let that wand out of her sight for months. She took it from Alice's hands gingerly, her own shaking horribly.

"Thank you Ali," she spoke after a few moments. She frowned at the acidic taste lingering in her mouth. It still burned slightly. "I don't know what's wrong. I was asleep…and then it was coming up and…"

"It's okay Lily, it's been a hard night," Alice said smiling warmly and rubbing her friend's back.

She left her hand on Lily's back, moving her other hand to her arm to help her stand. Lily wobbled a bit, black spots appearing before her eyes as she came to her feet. Alice steadied her before leading her out and back into the room Marlene and Frank were in.

They moved slowly through the bright white halls and Lily wondered how she had been able to find the bathroom so quickly. Their shoes made soft noises on the ground, but all else seemed to be silent. She figured it must be early. It was hard to tell though; the hospital didn't have windows in the hallways.

"Have you been feeling sick, Lily?" Alice asked her as they got closer to the room. Lily thought back, trying to look for any signs of whether or not she had. Usually she ignored any type of sickness she might have caught, there were too many other things to do. It sounded silly, but Lily thought that the only reasons he didn't get sick often was because she didn't have the time.

"Maybe," she finally admitted. "My stomach's been…off for a while now, I guess."

"Anything else?"

"I don't think so,"

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Alice said after some thought.

"I hope so…I feel horrible."

The two arrived at the hospital room. They walked in to see everyone sleeping soundly with the exception of Marlene and Frank sitting up looking groggy. It was then that Lily realized how crowded the room was. Beds were pushed in at odd angles, jammed into every corner. They were all Order members as well. The wing must be run by a friend of the Order, someone who could keep the secret of who was involved with the organization.

"Are you guys okay?" Marlene whispered once they got to the bed and plopped down on it. "You look deathly pale, Lily."

"My stomach was acting out. I'm okay now though,"

"You dashed out of here pretty fast," Frank said with a small grin. "Don't think I've ever seen you run so speedy,"

Lily chuckled weakly. She listened absentmindedly as the group began speaking of random things. Her thoughts were focused on something else. Why had she gotten sick? With something as muggle as the stomach flu as well. Perhaps it was something else though…a wizard thing or something. With a sigh she decided she best not worry about it any longer.

##########

"Good morning," James yawned, stretching and whacking Remus in the eye.

The three boys had fallen asleep on the Hospital Wing floor surrounded by the children once Sirius had gotten back. They had told the kids stories for a while, hoping Dumbledore would come visit before too long, but they had all drifted off sooner or later.

"What time is it?" Remus asked, kicking Sirius to wake him up. Sirius twitched a bit before snapping up, looking surprised.

"What's going on, what's happening?" he mumbled almost frantically, rubbing his eyes.

"Nothing, calm down," James said rolling his eyes. He glanced around and noticed that all the kids were still asleep. He motioned for Remus and Sirius to be quiet before standing and tiptoeing around them. The Hospital Wing was silent.

They left the room and collectively agreed that all the adults were probably in Dumbledore's office. They started the long trek through the winding halls, knowing that it would take a while before they would get there. It had been quite some times since they had tried to navigate Hogwarts. James wished they had the map. It would have been perfect. Problem was that Sirius had lost it after stealing Slughorn's pineapple.

"Are Frank, Alice, and Lily still at Mungo's?" Remus yawned, muffling the sound a bit.

"I'm not sure," James answered honestly. "Most likely. They probably fell asleep there,"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they came back soon," Sirius put in, starting to walk a little faster. He was beginning to get impatient. Remus and James matched his pace before continuing with the conversation.

"Where'd you go last night, Padfoot?" James asked.

"Exploring a bit…oh, and remind me to visit the Owlery once we speak to Dumbledore,"

"Got something to deliver?" Remus asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah,"

The stayed silent, knowing it was not the moment of pry. Of course both Remus and James were immensely curious, they just knew that it would be better to forget about it. Sirius could write anyone he wanted. It was none of their business and Sirius was glad that they understood.

As they came to the large winged statue guarding Professor Dumbledore's office they gave each other worried glances. Who knew what they'd be told once they went up.

"Drooble's Blowing Gum?" Sirius questioned. The statue stayed unmoved. It appeared that Dumbledore had changed his password since they had last tried to go up the steps to his office.

"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans?" Remus tried. Nothing.

"You know," James started. "Dumbledore's been getting fond of muggle candy lately, have you noticed?"

"Might as well give it a try," Sirius said with a shrug.

"Fun dip?" Remus asked, remembering the colorful sour candy his mother used to always give him.

"Pixy Stix?"

"Hershey?" James tried

It was that word that made the golden statue unfurl its incredibly long wings, opening the way. James grinned widely at their success. He couldn't count how many times they had sat outside the office shouting different words for ages before they got it right back at school. The three made the trek up the stairs easily, all with newfound energy given by the excitement of finding out what had happened the night before.

Sirius, being the first to get to the top, flung Dumbledore's large wooden door open without so much as a knock first. He figured it was not the time for formalities. The tree practically tripped over each other trying to get in and came out the other side ready to topple over. They luckily avoided the embarrassment and looked up to see that Dumbledore was still speaking to all the parents along with members of the staff. He looked up when they came in and smiled wearily.

"Good morning, boys. I was wondering when we'd see you. Is all well?" the man asked.

"Relatively," Remus said with a shrug.

"Marlene's at Mungo's. She's got a broken leg I think, a concussion too. She'll be fine in a day or too," James supplied.

"Lily and the Longbottoms?" Dumbledore asked.

"Visiting, I think they stayed the night,"

"We're all fine," Sirius said quickly. "Just tell us what happened,"

"That's what we'd all like to know, Mr. Black. I have a…hunch, however."

"Well a hunch is better than nothing," Sirius said, pulling up a chair. The others followed his actions.

A glance around the room showed a dozen or so extremely exhausted parents and worried teachers. James noticed that there was a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher as well. He wasn't surprised. Everyone knew of the infamous curse placed upon the position. James wondered how Dumbledore managed to find a new person to fill the position every year.

"So what's this hunch?" Remus asked.

"Well, we shall start at the beginning with the menacing voice we heard in my office," Dumbledore said with a chuckle. Apparently he found Voldemort amusing. "You all know who that was. Tom is getting quite showy I'm afraid."

"Why? He was distracting us for some reason," James asked.

"Well first we need to look at how he was distracting us," Dumbledore spoke. He turned to one of the couples. They looked relatively young. The mother had big blues eyes that were quite familiar.

"I'm Rachel Jones," the woman spoke, sticking out her hand for each of them to shake. "I think I was in my…sixth year when the famous Marauders came to Hogwarts," she said with a sparkly smile. He smile was bright and warming, but her eyes were still worried.

"You wouldn't happen to be related to a Caroline?" Sirius asked, making the connection.

"Our daughter," the husband spoke. "I'm Levi," he said, also offering his hand.

"She's…bright. I swear sunshine radiates off of her," James said with a smile.

"She's so brave," Rachel said, her voice shaking a bit. "Did you save her?"

"Actually," James started. Before he could finish the door was pushed open, Alice, Frank, and Lily walking into the room. He smiled at them, looking over Lily intently. She was pale and seemed shaky. He frowned a bit, but was able to mask it quickly. Perhaps she was just tired.

"Good morning Alice, Frank, Lily," Dumbledore greeted. "Find a chair, I made sure there were extras for tonight."

"Thank you," Alice said. James noticed she was standing close to Lily, her hand ready to steady her. He watched as they got chairs, Lily dragging hers over to where he was.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly as everyone else was getting situated. Her small hand found his and he felt a little bit better.

"I'm okay James, I promise," she said with a small smile, moving her hair out of her face with her free hand.

"Rachel," James said looking up. "It was Lily who saved Caroline actually, she got all the children in your neighborhood." Lily looked over at the woman James was speaking too. She could see the resemblance.

"I'm Lily Potter," she said. Rachel smiled.

"It's nice to meet you,"

"Tell them what happened Mrs. Jones," Dumbledore said after a moment.

"I was reading to Caroline when we heard the noises. Crashing and banging. Next were the shouts and the blasts, our house was broken into. I ran to help my husband and Caroline; she hid under the bed like we've told her. She's clever like that," Rachel said fondly. "As soon as I got down someone grabbed onto me and apparated. I don't remember anything after that up to when we got dropped off outside Hogwarts."

"So you didn't fight?" Lily asked, looking confused. Rachel and Levi both shook their head no. "The house," she started. "When I showed up it was in shambles, everything broken or turned over. There was blood along the walls."

"We didn't have time to do so much as think of a spell," Levi said.

"So they staged it," Lily asked Dumbledore. "They messed the house up after everyone was gone."

"That's what it appears to be."

"And the children?"

"All were left,"

"Why didn't they take the children too?" Alice asked.

"It is the innocence of a child that is perhaps once of our greatest weaknesses. If the children need saving then we will take all the time we need to save them."

"So they left the kids so that we'd look for them?"

"You left right after you found them, did you not? If there had been no children and no adults then you would have left immediately,"

"And all the people in James' section?"

"You were quite clever Lily, we wouldn't have gotten there half as soon if you hadn't figured it out. From what I heard your patronus was beautiful," he said with a sparkle in his eyes.

"If Voldemort was making us busy with this fight then what was he doing?" Sirius finally asked. It was the question they all wanted answers to.

"From my knowledge he was…running errands," Dumbledore's eyes suddenly took on a depressing quality. The man actually frowned, something they hadn't seen him do in quite some time. "Sirius, I'm afraid that during these 'errands' your brother did not come out alive."

##########

** Yay! New Chapter! Face the World Fighting is nearly over, maybe three or four chapters left. After that I'll take a break before writing the final story in the trilogy. Anyway, did you guys like this one? What do you think of Lily being sick? Please Review!**

** -Sweets5236**


	35. Tears

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

Life is a test. It's excruciatingly painful, bizarre, confusing, heart breaking, and temperamental all at once. It's also beautiful, lovely, grand, thrilling, and overwhelmingly wonderful. There's no other way to describe it. It will tear you down with out the slightest hint of mercy and once you withstand it, it will build you up again. It's as if the earth is trying to shape you, mold you into the brilliant being you are _destined_ to be. The tragedy is that few realize this. They see the bad as a manifestation of their "horrible" life and the good as bursts of luck when in reality; they're just being made stronger.

Some people have to be made stronger than others though. Those are the ones who go to bed with tears in their eyes and wake up with heavy limbs. Those are the ones who have their world crash down upon them and shatter everything they hold dear. They put up with it because a small part of them realizes that they have to. Their eyes hold a steely wisdom and compassion. They are guarded, yet understand more than anyone would ever guess. Those are the ones who will do great things. There's no other way to describe it.

These great people get built up bit by bit, never knowing when life is going to pummel them again once more. It could be the very next day in some rather annoying form, or it could be the next month in the shape of catastrophe. All they know is that it will happen because it always does. While this may sound barbaric, they will get their happiness. The world will make sure of it. The fate of everything lies in a delicate balance, always evening itself out after every tip.

The moment that Albus Dumbledore informed Sirius Black that his only remaining family member had passed on, the scale tipped. It would bounce back eventually, but that would take time. The terrible part was that Sirius Black's scale would continue to tip for a long time.

##########

"Sirius, I'm afraid that during these 'errands' your brother did not come out alive."

The words nearly echoed, bouncing across the walls. Silence was what came to meet them. What was there to say? They were all exhausted, confused, and somewhat terrified. Finding out that Sirius' brother had died made the shock set in. The shock that the world was in one of the most horrible states it had ever been in.

The seconds ticked on, persistent as always. You could hear the quiet sounds of the clock in the large room filled with people. You could hear each of their breathes, some steady and others not so much. The silence came to an end when one of the chairs made a particularly loud screeching noise against the polished wooden floor.

Sirius stood, not looking anyone in the eye, before walking out of the room without a word. The minute the door closed behind him a dozen things happened at once. Lily stood quickly, the chair nearly toppling out from underneath her. The sudden movement caused blood to rush to her head at unnatural speeds. Her sight became splotchy and James caught her just before she hit the ground. Voices all around them were talking, crying, asking questions. They wanted to know what happened. What was it that Voldemort had been doing that night with Regulus Black? Wasn't the boy a death eater? How did you die? Alice and Frank were whispering softly to each other with concerned looks as they knelt beside Lily and James. Remus seemed to be debating whether or not he should be going after Sirius. James held Lily's head in his lap wondering why his wife seemed so sick. A nauseating worry rolled into his stomach. Dumbledore though, he just sat there, calm and collected as always. It wasn't until the noise in the room died down that he spoke.

"I believe it is time for all to return home. I wish you and your families the best."

##########

The first thing Sirius did was march into McGonagall's office, knowing it was open to him. He pushed the door open, pleased with how it swung easily. The office was just as he remembered it, red and gold with all sorts of papers scattered across the desk. He stepped into her fireplace and grabbed a rather large handful of the familiar green powder that made his nose itch before throwing it down at his feet.

"ST. MUNGO'S!" his voice was loud and sure, sending him spiraling through the floo network and into the wizard hospital.

He made his way confidently up the stairs seeing as there seemed to be a long wait at the elevator. He thought he remembered Lily saying that they were on the twelfth floor…or was it the thirteenth? Sirius honestly had no idea. Thus being said, he climbed until he got to a landing rather high up, hoping that it was the right one. The area was large and probably spacious if not for all the hospital beds jammed everywhere. Sirius had the feeling that he was in the right place.

His steely grey eyes skirted around the room, seeking out a familiar head of brown curls. It wasn't until then that he realized how many people had gotten injured. It seemed like the whole Order was residing in the room. He could see Fabian and Gideon chatting with Dedalus Diggle a few beds over. He waved to them absentmindedly when they looked up. He also saw Edgar Bones looking rather beat up a few feet over. The man was unconscious and Sirius could tell that he had put up a tough fight. It took him a few minutes but he finally found Marlene. Her head was bent over a magazine, likely one of the horrid girly things she was always carrying around.

She looked like she was doing well. Her face was pale, but not terribly so, and he noticed a rapidly healing gash that ran from her cheekbone up to her forehead. Her left leg was also set in a cast of maroon. He could already see several intricate doodles covering the upper half in various sharpie colors. He recognized the markers sitting at the table beside her and concluded that Lily must have brought them.

Sirius finally started stepping towards her, weaving through the many beds laying haphazardly across the room. She didn't notice that he arrived until he was but a few feet away from where she was laying. Her warm brown eyes connected with his own and his previously controlled smirk crumpled as everything hit him. His baby brother was dead. His baby brother who he had always sworn to protect was gone from the earth. Marlene saw his eyes begin to tear up and grew worried. She motioned him over without a word and engulfed him in a large hug as soon as he had sat down beside her.

She just held him there as his shoulders began to shake. It wasn't very often that Sirius cried. In fact, sometimes she swore he was too strong for his own good. He pushed his emotion into jokes and sarcasm. It was his way of dealing and she had decided long ago that she wasn't going to mess with it. There were maybe a total of three times that Marlene could remember seeing him shed a tear in her entire life.

The first time had been when his brother had begun Hogwarts and did nothing but ignore him. The littlest or grandest gesture Sirius made to welcome Regulus was completely disregarded. Regulus had changed in the year that Sirius had been at Hogwarts before and Marlene had seen it take a toll on him. She had accidently walked across him sitting against a wall and crying into his knees. She hadn't known what to do so she had gone and sat by him, not touching him and not speaking. When he was done he stood up and left, their eyes connecting once. They never spoke of it again.

The next had been later on in their sixth year. It had been late, extremely late actually and she had been up studying for exams that were quickly approaching. The common room had been warm and comforting with the fire crackling as usual and the red and gold on the walls playing tricks on her eyes. She was quite exhausted and couldn't help but let her eyes droop every now and again. Marlene had been snapped fully awake when Sirius had run into the common room, tears streaming down his face. He came in in an obvious rage, knocking books of the shelves and scattering papers around the room. She just sat there in her chair, looking on at him curiously. He finally collapsed to a heap on the floor. Marlene remembered standing and walking over to him, crouching down beside him. She wrapped an arm around his back and led him to the nearest couch before placing a blanket over him. She later learned that Sirius had tricked Snape into going down into the Whomping Willow during a full moon. It did not stomach well with him afterwards.

The most recent time Marlene remembered Sirius crying in front of her had been when Lily was taken. It must have been three or four days after the day the wedding was _supposed _to be. They were all holed up at the Weasley's, not allowed to go out often. Dumbledore knew how rash they could be when it came to their friends. She had been helping Molly with the dusting and entered a round room she had never been in before. Shelves filled with all kinds of knick-knacks and books lined the walls and in the middle of it all were a few mismatched chairs of different shapes and sizes. Sirius was sitting in one of them, completely silent. His face was in his hands and she saw the smallest drop of water tumble into his lap. She walked up to him and placed her small hand lightly on his shoulder. He took hold of her arm and pulled her onto his lap, crying into her shoulder. They had a conversation that she wouldn't forget.

"What if we can't find her?" he had murmured nearly too soft for her to hear.

"Why would you think that?" she asked, stroking his black hair gently.

"It's been days and we have no idea where she is,"

"That doesn't mean we won't find her,"

Marlene often marveled over Sirius and Lily's friendship. It was one that she would never have been able to guess; yet it worked. Lily made him think. He made her loosen up. The two had bonded what with having siblings who despised their very beings. Marlene remembered all the little questions they'd ask each other. They were the silliest things, yet they made Marlene believe that no one knew Sirius more than Lily. Their friendship was different from her own with Lily, theirs held more layers, each more complicated. It had stitched them together though.

"James," he said with a strangled chuckle. "James is a mess, will barely swallow a thing," his voice held a bit of humor before becoming soft again, "I want that you know,"

"Want what?"

"What they have, James and Lily,"

Marlene remembered thinking about that very carefully, analyzing everything. James and Lily were perfect for each other, something that was mentioned over and over again. James was so spontaneous and charming, something Lily had originally thought was quite silly seeing as it managed to get him to detention time after time. After all they had been through together though, they'd always have each other to laugh with, smile with, cry with, yell and argue with. They held each other up and Marlene didn't know if one would be able to live while the other was gone. That was why she was so worried about James. Lily wasn't there to remind him to eat fruit and go to bed at a decent time. She wasn't there to slap his arm when he made fun of Sirius or Remus. She just wasn't there and he was falling apart.

"I think I'd like that too," she finally said. Sirius had looked her in the eyes then, quite intently.

"I like you a lot Marlene," he had said, dragging his thumb across her cheek.

"I like you a lot too,"

##########

Sirius fingered the letter in his pocket as the last of tears dripped off his nose. He pulled back from Marlene to see that she had watery eyes as well. They were red rimmed and somewhat swollen, but she was still as adorable as ever.

"Why are you crying?" he asked her, moving to wipe away a rouge tear that fell from her eye.

"Because you're crying and I want you to be happy,"

Those words struck him somewhere. He had never thought that anyone would feel so deeply about him. He nearly couldn't believe it. She had been crying just because she was sad he had? Warmth slowly filled him, bubbling pleasantly through his insides. He searched her eyes and found her words true just by looking at them.

"Regulus is dead," he finally said, trying his best to keep his voice steady. She instantly grabbed his hand in her own and pulled him towards her.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," she whispered into his ear.

"I was going to get him to meet with me you know," he spoke into her hair, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Really?" she asked, knowing that he just needed to keep talking and he'd be okay.

"I wrote the letter and everything," he said with the smallest laugh. It sounded sad and cold. "Just a few hours ago actually…maybe one or two. Can you believe it?"

"What did it say?"

"I asked where he lived. I told him I wanted to see him. It told him that James and Lily got married. I told him I was an auror. I told him to meet me at the Leaky Cauldron. I was going to send it you know,"

"Yeah?"

"I was going to, right then when I finished it. I was so tired though figured, Regulus isn't going anywhere, and I can send it in the morning. I never did,"

"Do you know what I think?" Marlene asked him.

"What?"

"I think he died for the _Light_,"

"Not likely,"

"Why is that so hard to believe, Sirius? He was a good kid, yes?"

"Yeah, but then he became a death eater,"

"You'll see, you'll see one day," she urged, squeezing him a little closer.

"Marlene?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"I love you a lot,"

"I love you a lot too,"

He had finally said the words.

##########

** I don't know about you guys, but I kind of love Sirius and Marlene…a lot. I can just picture them loving each other so much. They're adorable, it's decided haha. Okay onto the next matter of business. The story is almost done! One, maybe two chapters left. So here is how it's going to happen, I'm going to take this in the same direction as last time. Either a) follow me as an author on fan fiction and you'll get a PM when I post the new story or b) send me a review saying that you want me to PM you when I post it, be sure to give me your name if you're not logged in. I'll talk more about when "Holding Onto Hope" comes out next time. Please Review!**

** -Sweets5236 (Sorry for grammar mistakes)**


	36. Holding On

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**##########**

In the few hours after Sirius finally confessed his love for Marlene a number of things happened that would wrap up the tragic events that had occurred in that one long night. They had all known the night was going to end eventually, it had just stretched on longer than they had thought. The worst of it was that they didn't even really know what had happened. Dumbledore was choosing to be secretive. He had his reasons of course, as he always did, but some couldn't help but feel like it was all for nothing.

The group mourned a bit of course, sitting in a circle on the floor of Hogwarts, not saying a word. The nurse had let Marlene leave after she promised to stay mostly immobile. She had returned to her friends, getting engulfed by numerous arms as soon as she did. She shared a significant glance with Lily who nodded to inform her that, yes, she was okay. Her little spell of sickness from earlier had passed. That's when they all hiked to the seventh floor, opened up the fabled Room of Requirement and just held hands for a little while.

On the outside several people left to clean up the destroyed streets, repairing houses and such. Little Caroline was reunited with her parents along with the rest of the children. Her mother picked her up and told her how very proud she was that her darling girl had been so brave. Caroline promptly told her mother that she found whom she was going to marry and that his name was Sirius. Rachel had chuckled and made sure that Caroline was still wearing her pink slippers before leaving.

The teachers began to prepare for their classes though they were all ready to collapse. There was still school to teach. McGonagall found it amusing how normal life could be after a night so hectic. Dumbledore, however, got back into the swing of things quite quickly. He began to make decisions about the next school year as well. He even considered trying to find a Divination teacher. Perhaps the children would have fun with it.

Next the group of Marauders minus one along with their honorary Marauder friends decided it was time to go home. Some decent sleep was in order.

**##########**

The sky was finally coming to a color that signaled daytime; though it was not the cheery blue that usually adorned the chilled early November sky. It was a deep grey, nearly murky. Everything appeared dull and lifeless, drooping. Billowing clouds of a somewhat lighter color crowded the great expanse as well. The patches of grass had become a sickly green and the trees with their normally full branches were bare.

Lily took a tentative step outside, her feet cold against the cement of the patio. She wiggled her toes a bit, getting used to the somewhat familiar feel. She always used to love running around in the rain, without shoes on of course. She'd be sick for days afterwards. Those adventures gave her the worst of colds that left her sniffling and coughing without end, but she never really cared. That feeling of…_freedom_ that she got from running and dancing beneath the tumbling drops made it all worth it.

Lily hadn't done it in…ages. It must have been the summer before her seventh year that she did it last. She could remember her parents sitting on the porch, safe beneath a nice awning, watching her skip and jump and leap down the street. Her long red locks had stuck to her face, a pleasant feeling. The asphalt was nice and slick, its grainy texture feeling comforting beneath her hopping toes. Lily remembered smiling so wide that her cheeks ached. Her eyes had stung with all the raindrops that had fallen in them as well.

Lily could picture her parent's faces so clearly then. Their bright shining faces as they sat in front of the house as it rained. Her mother was the one she had inherited her fiery hair from though unlike her daughter, Karrie Evans wore her red locks nice and short, just brushing her chin. It suited her and her large round blue eyes. It was Karrie's eyes that Petunia gained. Lily's mom was the mom who had wrinkles around her eyes from smiling and lines around her mouth from laughing just as much.

It was Lily's father that passed his studiousness onto her. His hair was pale and thin thought he was not yet balding. He wore large square spectacles that Petunia loved to parade around the house in. He was quiet and gentle, the kind of person Lily could always talk to on a highly intellectual level. His eyes were the emerald almond shaped orbs that lay on her own face.

People had always found how similar the Evans' looked humorous. They had all the same features, just switched around a bit. Seeing the whole family together made it obvious, but if one were to see Petunia and Lily together the similarities would be few. They were nearly opposites after all, both in looks and mannerism.

As Lily stood outside her house she imprinted that picture of her parents into her mind. They were both smiling and talking together and everything was lovely and serene. It was almost too perfect. She squeezed her eyes shut, nearly to the point of hurting. She didn't want to forget. If there was one moment she'd like to remember with her parents it was that one. Lily breathed in deep, taking in the fresh scent of the soon to come rain.

It was fitting, she decided. After so much hurt and pain the sky was going to cry. The strange part, however, was that the only one who had died was a man on the wrong side. Regulus was dead. Lily didn't even know how Dumbledore knew seeing as they never found a body. She glanced up at the sky again noting the swirling clouds and remembering the glowing green image that had shown there before.

When the first drop fell from the clouds and landed right atop her petite nose, she crumbled. Instead of jumping up and dancing she collapsed to the ground and sobbed, her tears mingling with the rapidly falling rain. After several minutes she stood, swiped her hands beneath her eyes, and walked inside.

##########

"Favorite fruit?"

"Apples, I love apples. You?"

"Grapes, my grandma used to make popsicles from the ones growing on the vine in her backyard."

"Homemade grape popsicles?"

"Hmm,"

Silence followed. A glance at the scene shows this group of people splayed out on the ground, various limbs draped across each other. A foot on someone's leg, a head on someone's stomach, and several tightly clasped hands. There were the seven of them as usual. Lily, James, Marlene, Sirius, Remus, Alice, and Frank all piled in the Potter's living room. It was just like in their Hogwarts days. They were bundled up as well, in various coats and scarves lent to them, courtesy of Dumbledore. As soon as they had arrived at James and Lily's no one had any desire to do anything but collapse on the floor. So they did after a few minutes of mindless wandering and Lily's memories in the rain.

The only voices sounding in the room were those of Sirius and Lily. They had taken to asking questions again. It was but a small comfort. Nostalgia was thick in the air, nearly tangible.

"What are we doing?" Lily suddenly asked out of the blue. She shifted her head a bit against James shoulder. No one answered for a while, taking their time to respond.

"What do you mean?" Remus finally asked, a sigh evident in his voice. They were all weary.

"Why do we put ourselves through this?"

"What is 'this' exactly? "Alice asked. She sounded genuinely confused.

"This pain and this…heartache,"

"I don't understand," Marlene noted.

"We chose to be aurors, we chose to be members of the Order. We _chose_ that, and for what? Tragedy after tragedy?"

More silence. For the longest time not a person spoke. It was hard to digest what she was saying. It was Lily after all, Lily who had dreamed so brightly of becoming a daring auror in their seventh year. Her sudden moment of…doubt was slightly terrifying. It wasn't' often that she questioned the things they did. The thought she put into her decisions made it so that she didn't have to. She did things for the right reasons and in the right way.

"I know why," Alice finally spoke, her voice, though small, nearly echoed through the room.

"Please tell me," Lily said, her lip quivered a bit and her eyes prickled. James' arm wrapped around her shoulders more tightly and Marlene's hand in her own squeezed a bit.

"We fight like this to make the world a better place. Not for us though. I'm not quite sure it will get better for us,"

"If we aren't fighting for us then who are we fighting for?" Sirius asked as he wrapped a strand of Marlene's hair around his finger absentmindedly.

His question hung in the air. Lily could hear James' heart beating beneath her head. A steady _thump, thump, thump_. It was comforting, incredibly so and it always had been. She'd wake up at night sometimes, forehead slick with sweat and limbs shaking with fear from terrifying nightmares. She'd lay her head on his chest and squeeze her eyes shut tight, focusing on nothing but the sound of his steady breathing and working pumping heart. She'd be asleep in minutes and wake in the very same position.

"We're fighting for our family, our children," Alice finally said. It was as if she had been scared to say it earlier. As soon as the words fell out of her mouth Lily began to sob. Loud, shaky, shattering sobs that traveled through her whole body in little tremors.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," she repeated over and over again. Everyone sat up wearily, confused at her reaction.

"Lily, you're okay," James spoke softly, rubbing her back.

"I feel horrible, why would I even say something like that?"

"It's been a hard day, Sunshine, we're all worn out," Sirius said.

"It all just hurts so much," she sobbed.

"We know Lils, we understand, it's okay," Marlene spoke.

"All I've ever wanted was to have a family; a perfect happy little family to take to the park and feed dinner to. Now? Everything is so horrible out there."

"We have time Lils, we have time to make things better. It is why we're aurors isn't it, so we can have a family one day," James said comfortingly. It just made her sob even harder.

"Lily, you have to tell us what's wrong so we can help you," Alice pleaded, moving towards Lily on her knees. Lily had a feeling that Alice knew exactly what was wrong.

"I'm pregnant!"

The words tumbled out of her mouth and suddenly James was there, taking her face in his hands and kissing her. It was full of love and…something else. Lily thought it might be happiness. He pulled back, close enough that their foreheads were still touching. His hazel eyes sparkled beautifully, the brightest she had seen them in months. He raised his hand to her cheeks and wiped away the stray tears with the pad of his thumb. The callused feel of it calmed her.

"Why are you crying, Lily?" He asked, his voice soft enough that only she could hear

"We don't have anymore time, James. We don't have anymore time to make things better," she murmured. Another tear dripped from her eyes, but he was quick to swipe it away. He pulled away from her fully, now kneeling in front of her.

"What do we need to make better?" he said. Sirius was instantly clapping him on the shoulder. His face was bright.

"He's right you know, congrats mate,"

"We already have all we need, Lils. We have a great home in a great neighborhood, we have plenty of money, and we have all the support we need," he said glancing around at all the smiling faces. "You shouldn't be sad,"

"Oh no," she denied. "I'm so happy, James. I've never been happier." More tears fell, but this time they seemed to be a good thing. "I'm just scared,"

"Of what, sweetie? We're here for you," Marlene said wrapping her arm around her.

"James is going to need all the help he can get after all," Remus said with a small chuckle. James punched him half-heartedly in the shoulder, still smiling brightly.

Lily was having a baby. _His_ baby. He was going to be a dad. In nine months there'd be a little human with impossibly tiny hands and feet in his care. He could take the baby to Quidditch matches and feed it food when it was hungry. He could sit on the floor and tickle his stomach until he laughed. He…his. James was sure it was going to be a boy. He could only wish that the baby would have Lily's eyes.

"The world is a mess, this little baby," she said placing her hands on her still flat stomach, "they're going to grow up in this."

"Lily, we're just going to have to keep holding on,"

"To what?"

"Hope."

##########

**This story is officially complete. Face the World Fighting was a story of love, loss, and support that stretched through a full thirty-six chapters and I want to thank you all for experiencing it with me. I realize this story is not perfect. In fact, it's quite flawed. I've developed though, I can tell just by re-reading the first chapter. To me that is the greatest accomplishment. This trilogy will conclude with Holding onto Hope. Both Lily and Alice will be in the later months of their pregnancy and the prophecy will just about to be made. Before it is written, however, I'm going to clean this story up, edit as many chapters as I can. It's Spring Break after all so I'll have the time. I'm going to schedule Holding onto Hope to come out the first Saturday of May (May 4****th****). That gives me a whole month of editing (Life of Lily as well).**

**IMPORTANT: If you wish to read Holding onto Hope you have two options, a) put me on your author alert so you will be alerted when I post the first chapter (I won't be posting any others between now and then) or b) review and inform me you'd like me to personally PM you when I post it. **

** I once again want to thank you all, especially those who have been with me from the beginning. Until May.**

** -Sweets5236**


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